FROM   THE   LIBRARY   OF 
REV.   LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON.  D.  D. 

BEQUEATHED   BY   HIM   TO 

THE   LIBRARY  OF 

PRINCETON   THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY 


Section        /r? 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://archive.org/details/moodysankOOhall 


THE 


AMERICAN  EVANGELISTS, 

D.  L.  MOODY 

AND 

IRA    D.   SANKEY, 
IX  GKEAT  BKITAIN  AND  IKELAND. 


JOHN  HALL,  D.D.,  NEW  YORK, 

AND 

GEORGE    H.    STUART.    PHILADELPHIA. 


NEW  YORK: 

DODD   &   MEAD,  PUBLISHERS, 
762  Broadway. 


Copyright, 
Dodd  &  Mead. 

1875. 


PEEFATOEY  NOTE. 


That  the  present  religious  movement  in  Great 
Britain,  which  it  has  pleased  God  to  further  through 
the  American  evangelists,  is  entitled  to  adequate 
and  permanent  record  in  book-form  on  this  continent, 
no  one  can  doubt,  to  whom  its  extent  and  character 
are  known. 

If  any  apology  is  needed  for  the  editors  in  under- 
taking this  work,  it  will  be  found  in  their  personal 
knowledge  of  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey,  deep  inter- 
est in  the  scenes  of  their  Christian  labors,  and 
acquaintance  with  the  "  brethren  beloved  "  who  have 
stood  by  them,  co-operated  in  their  efforts,  and  borne 
cheerful  testimony  to  the  moral  and  spiritual  results. 

In  the  reports,  from  whence  the  following  pages 
have  been  compiled  and  arranged,  there  is  much 
descriptive  eulogy  of  the  men  whom  God  has  used 
for  spreading  His  truth.  This  has  been  uniformly 
omitted,  in  the  firm  belief  that  Christian  readers,  like 
the  evangelists  themselves,  desire  that  man  should  be 
of  little  account,  and  that  God  should  be  all  in  all. 

The  methods  of  operation  are  detailed  without  the 
10* 


PBEFA  TOR  Y  NOTE. 


expression  of  opinion,  favorable  or  unfavorable. 
Many  forms  of  Christian  work  are  determined  by 
Christian  wisdom,  and  the  conditions  of  society ;  and 
men's  views  of  plans  are  largely  influenced  by  habits 
of  thought,  education,  and  general  church-life.  On 
these  topics,  and  on  the  place  and  work  of  the  evan- 
gelist our  readers  are  commonly  as  competent  to  form 
a  judgment  as  are  the  editors  ;  and  our  care  has  been 
to  give  a  clear,  colorless,  and  continuous  view  of  the 
facts.  "We  do  not  pronounce,  and  we  do  not  predict. 
The  main  considerations,  we  venture  to  think,  are 
that  substantial  truth  is  being  held  forth,  and  that  the 
Spirit  of  God  is  blessing  it,  as  evidenced  by  spiritual 
results.  So  far  as  it  appears,  with  the  exception  of 
an  occasional  word  respecting  the  coming  of  our  Lord, 
there  has  been  no  expression  of  view  out  of  har- 
mony with  the  truths  most  surely  believed  among  us; 
as  indeed  may  be  inferred  from  the  cordial  approval 
given  to  Mr.  Moody's  teaching  by  University  and 
Theological  Professors  in  Edinburgh,  Glasgow,  and 
Aberdeen  ;  in  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  and  in  Bel- 
fast ;  by  more  than  one  Bishop  of  the  Irish  Church, 
and  by  the  most  trusted  ministers  of  all  evangelical 
denominations  in  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland. 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


It  has  always  been  admitted  that  the  best  evidence 
of  facts  is  their  uncontradicted  publication  by  reliable 
men,  at  the  time  and  place  of  occurrence.  This  evi- 
dence we  have  sought  to  present,  availing  ourselves 
of  the  published  communications  of  Christian  men, 
such  as  Drs.  Arnot  and  Blaikie  of  Edinburgh,  Kirk- 
patrick  of  Dublin,  Rev.  R.  W.  Dale  of  Manchester, 
C.  H.  Spurgeon  of  London,  Dr.  Lowe  of  Liverpool, 
Lord  Radstock,  Reginald  Radcliffe  Esquire,  and 
others  in  whom  the  Churches  of  Christ,  on  both  sides 
of  the  Atlantic,  justly  repose  confidence. 

Partly  from  the  desire  to  condense,  and  partly 
from  the  effort  to  present  the  facts  as  they  have  been 
reported  by  eye-witnesses,  the  narrative  is  rapid  in 
movement,  and  sometimes  abrupt  in  its  transitions. 
Quotation-marks  might  have  been  employed  in  places 
where  they  do  not  appear,  because,  though  the  sub- 
stance of  communications  is  given,  there  is  so  much 
necessary  abbreviation  that  it  would  hardly  be  just  to 
the  writers  to  make  them  responsible  for  the  more 
curt  phraseology  we  have  found  necessary  in  a  volume 
of  the  extent  which  we  desired  to  produce. 

The  order  followed  is  of  the  simplest  kind  :  Who 
are  these  men  \     How  did  they  come  to  the  front,  in 


6  PREFATORY  NOTE. 

America  ?  How  did  they  enter  Great  Britain  % 
What  has  been  their  progress  ?  What  did  they 
teach  ?  What  are  the  results  ?  These  questions  we 
have  sought  to  answer ;  and  as  to  the  vital  matter,  the 
truths  set  forth,  we  give  several  of  Mr.  Moody's 
addresses,  as  condensed  in  various  journals,  to  speak  for 
themselves.  They  occupy  over  sixty  pages  of  this 
book,  and  give  to  it  a  peculiar  interest. 

One  striking  and  important  feature  of  Mr.  Moody's 
operations  we  feel  it  right  to  emphasize — the  co-opera- 
tion of  the  ministers  uniformly  sought  and  secured. 
So  rigid  is  his  rule  on  this  point  that  he  declined  a 
visit  to  Sheffield,  until  substantial  unity  was  secured 
in  an  invitation  from  the  evangelical  ministers  of  the 
town.  On  the  same  principle,  meetings  are  not  held  at 
the  usual  hours  of  divine  service,  unless  in  the  judgment 
of  the  local  ministers*  they  are  desirable.  He  has 
always  felt  that  it  is  mischievous  in  the  highest  degree 
for  occasional  laborers,  however  admirable  and  useful 
to  weaken  the  hands  of  the  stated  ministry,  on  whose 
efforts  the  systematic  and  permanent  instruction  of 

*  It  may  be  proper  to  say,  that  in  England,  by  the  clergy  is 
understood  the  ministry  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  This  will 
explain  the  apparent  solecism,  "  The  clergy,  and  ministers." 


PRE  FA  TOR  Y  NOTE. 


the  people  must,  under  God,  depend.  To  this  wise 
policy — the  same  pursued  by  Nettleton  in  this  coun- 
try— has  been  due  in  a  large  degree  the  blessed  unity 
of  action,  and  may  we  not  add,  the  large  spiritual 
success,  vouchsafed.  If  anything  is  fitted  to  mar  a 
spiritual  work,  it  is  surely  vituperation  of  its  pledged 
friends  and  supporters. 

That  opposition  to  this  movement  has  appeared  is 
known  to  all,  though  its  amount  has  been  far  below 
what  might  have  been  expected.  It  has  come  from 
three  quarters :  those  to  whom  all  spiritual  religion  is 
fanaticism;  those  who  can  only  conceive  of  true  work 
within  their  own  ecclesiastical  lines ;  and  those  who 
have  either  looked  at  it  from  a  distance,  or  formed 
their  estimate  of  it  from  unfavorable  critics.  The  first 
class  learns  nothing ;  the  second  learns  slowly ;  and 
to  the  third  good  men  can  only  say,  "Come  and  see." 

That  the  interest  shown  in  mass-meetings  and  by 
eager  crowds  where  the  evangelists  have  been  present 
should  continue,  is  not  to  be  expected  in  the  nature 
of  things.  Only  the  most  superficial  will  consider 
the  results  on  this  account  evanescent.  Sunshine, 
dews,  and  rains  that  water  the  earth,  are  evanescent  in 
the  same  sense.     The  mightiest  movements  advance, 


PREFATORY  XOTE. 


en  enough,  as  does  the  tide ;  each  successive  wave, 
though  refluent  in  a  degree,  rising  higher  on  the 
beach  than  did  its  predecessor.  This  wave,  whose 
prog  hing,  has  carried  light  and  love 

where  certainly  they  had  not  gone  in  our  time:  and, 
as  t;  report  of  what  God  does  in  one  region 

has  often  raised  inquiry,  hope,  and  effort  in  another, 
are  not  without  the  expectation  that  the  record  of 
progress  in  our  mother-countries  may  stimulate  zeal 
and  effort  on  this  continent,  where  the  children  enjoy 
a  no  less  free  Christian  life,  and  where  thought  and 
feeling  travel  no  Jess  rapidly. 

Humbly  beseeching  Almighty  God,  the  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  whose  Gospel  we  count  the 
means  in  the  hands  of  the  Holy  Ghost  of  all  true  life 
and  progress,  to  further  J I  is  work  by  this  lowly  in- 
strumentality,  we  respectfully  dedicate  this  volume  to 
the  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  to  the  Sabbath-school 
teachers,  to  earnest  laborers  with  tongue,  and  pen, 
and  purse,  who  pray  and  toil  that  this  fair  America 
may  ho  a-,  the  garden  of  the  Lord,  and  her  people  a 
"righteous  nation  that  keepeth  the  truth." 

THE  EDITOKS. 


The  American  Evangelists. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE  INSTRUMENTS  EMPLOYED. 
MESSES.  MOODY  AND  BANKET.* 

Mb.  D.  L.  Moody  was  born  in  the  year  1837  in  one 
of  the  Xew  England  States,  in  the  district  which  was 
the  scene  of  the  great  awakening,  under  Jonathan 
Edwards,  about  a  hundred  years  before.  He  was 
brought  up  a  Unitarian,  and  had  not  even  heard  the 
gospel  of  the  grace  of  God  till  he  was  about  seventeen 
years  of  age.  Going,  about  that  time,  to  Boston,  to  be 
trained  for  business  in  the  establishment  of  an  uncle, 
he  one  day  went  into  the  church  of  the  late  Dr.  Kirk. 
There,  for  the  first  time,  he  listened  to  an  evangeli- 
cal sermon.  It  had  the  effect  of  making  him  uncom- 
fortable, and  he  resolved  not  to  go  back.     He  felt 

*  Abridged  from  The  British  Evangelist,  edited  by  Rev.  W. 
Reid   M.  A.,  and  Rev.  W.  P.  Mackay,  M.  A 
1* 


10  WORK  IN  CHICAGO. 

that  his  heart  had  been  laid  bare,  and  he  wondered 
who  had  told  the  preacher  about  him.  Something, 
however,  induced  him  to  go  back  next  Sunday,  and 
the  impression  was  renewed.  A  Sunday-school  teach- 
er, in  whose  class  he  had  been,  having  come  to  see 
him  and  ask  for  him  at  his  place  of  business,  he 
opened  up  his  mind  to  him,  and  he  was  enabled  to 
enter  into  peace  and  joy  in  believing. 

JSTot  very  long  after  this  Mr.  Moody  left  Boston 
and  proceeded  to  Chicago,  where  he  entered  into 
business  for  himself.  Being  full  of  the  desire  to  be 
useful,  he  went  into  a  Sunda3r-school,  and  asked  the 
superintendent  if  he  would  give  him  a  class.  In 
this  school  there  were  twelve  teachers  and  sixteen  pu- 
pils ;  and  the  answer  to  his  application  was  that  if  he 
could  gather  a  class  for  himself  he  would  be  allowed 
to  teach  them.  Mr.  Moody  went  out  to  the  streets 
and,  by  personal  application,  succeeded  in  bringing 
in  a  score  of  boys.  He  enjoyed  so  much  the  work  of 
bringing  in  recruits,  that  instead  of  teaching  the  class 
himself,  he  handed  it  over  to  another  teacher,  and 
so  on  until  he  had  filled  the  school.  Then  he  began 
to  entertain  the  notion  of  having  a  school  of  his  own. 
He  went  to  work  in  a  neglected  part  of  the  city,  where 


SEE  VICE  OF  SONG.  1 1 

Roman  Catholics  and  Germans  abounded.  Mr.  Moody 
saw  that,  to  succeed  in  such  a  population,  a  school 
must  be  exceedingly  lively  and  attractive,  and  as  he 
observed  that  the  Germans  made  constant  use  of  music 
in  their  meetings,  he  was  led  to  consider  whether 
music  might  not  be  employed  somewhat  prominently 
in  the  service  of  Christ.  Not  being  himself  a  singer, 
he  got  a  friend  who  could  sing  to  help  him,  and  for 
the  first  few  evenings  the  time  was  spent  between 
singing  hymns  and  telling  stories  to  the  children,  so 
as  to  awaken  their  interest  and  induce  them  to  return. 
A  hold  having  in  this  way  been  established,  the  school 
was  divided  into  classes,  and  conducted  in  the  usual 
way. 

This  school  became  the  basis  of  wider  operations. 
After  a  time  a  lively  interest  in  divine  things  began 
to  appear  among  the  children.  This  led  to  the  hold- 
ing of  meetings  every  night,  and  to  the  offering  of 
prayers  and  delivery  of  addresses  suitable  to  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  children.  These  meetings  began 
to  be  attended  also  by  the  parents,  some  of  whom 
shared  the  blessing.  Some  of  those  young  persons 
who  were  converted  at  this  time  remain  to  the  pres- 
ent day  the  most  valuable  and  active  coadjutors  in 


12  FIELD  DETERMINED. 

the  work  with  which  Mr.  Moody  is  associated  in  Chi- 
cago. In  most  cases  neither  the  children  nor  their 
parents  had  hitherto  been  connected  with  any  Chris- 
tian Church.  Mr.  Moody  began  to  find  himself  con- 
strained to  supply  them  with  spiritual  food.  At  first 
he  encouraged  them  to  connect  themselves  with  other 
congregations.  But  it  was  found  that  in  these  they 
were  next  to  lost  or  swallowed  up ;  they  felt  them- 
selves strangers,  sometimes  unwelcome  strangers,  while 
they  lost  all  the  benefit  of  neighborhood,  mutual  in- 
terest, and  combination  in  the  worship  of  God. 
Gradually,  therefore,  Mr.  Moody  felt  shut  up  to  tak- 
ing charge  of  them,  and  supplying  them  with  Chris- 
tian instruction.  Both  school  and  church  continued 
to  increase,  the  school  amounting  to  about  a  thou- 
sand, and  suitable  buildings  were  erected  through 
the  liberality  of  friends.  Mr.  Moody  bad  by  this 
time  given  up  business,  so  that  he  might  be  free  to 
give  his  whole  time  and  attention  to  the  work.  As 
he  felt  himself  called  by  the  Lord  to  this  step,  he  re- 
solved to  decline  all  salary  or  allowance  from  any 
quarter,  and  trust  for  his  maintenance  solely  to  what 
it  might  be  put  into  the  hearts  of  God's  people  to 
contribute.     Being  quite  destitute  of  private  means, 


THE  CHRISTIAN  COMMISSION.  13 

this  resolution  showed  that  his  faith  in  a  divine  call 
to  give  himself  to  Christian  work  was  capable  of 
bearing  a  great  strain.  At  the  same  time,  while 
adopting  this  course  for  himself,  he  has  never  pressed 
it  upon  others,  unless  they  should  clearly  see  it  to  be 
their  duty.  And  while  believing  himself  called  to  a 
kind  of  supplementary  work  in  the  ministry,  he  is 
very  far  from  prescribing  the  same  role  to  others. 
On  the  contrary,  he  is  the  steady  friend  of  a  regular 
ministry,  being  fully  persuaded  that  in  "ordaining 
elders  in  every  city,"  the  apostles  meant  to  set  up 
the  permanent  platform  of  the  Christian  Church. 

Mr.  Moody  had  acquired  a  position  of  much  influence 
in  the  United  States  in  connection  with  Sunday-school 
and  mission  work,  when  the  war  broke  out  between 
North  and  South.  This  led  to  a  new  turn  being  given  to 
his  labors.  There  was  a  large  camp  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Chicago,  to  which  he  gave  much  attention,  going 
there  night  after  night  and  striving  to  bring  the 
soldiers  under  the  influence  of  Divine  Grace.  When 
the  Christian  Commission  was  organized  he  was  presi- 
dent of  the  Executive  branch  for  Chicago,  and  nine 
different  times  he  went  to  one  or  other  of  the  scenes 
of  warfare,  remaining  some  weeks  and  working  with 


14  TEE  YOUNG  MEN 

all  his  might.  These  services  with  the  army  were  of 
no  little  use,  not  only  in  producing  direct  fruit,  but 
also  iu  developing  that  prompt  and  urgent  method  of 
dealing  with  men,  which  is  still  so  conspicuous  a  fea- 
ture of  his  mode  of  address.  With  wounded  men, 
hovering  between  life  and  death,  or  with  men  in 
march,  resting  for  an  evening  in  some  place  which 
they  were  to  leave  to-morrow,  it  was  plainly,  so  far  at 
least  as  he  was  concerned,  the  alternative  of  "  now  or 
never;"  and  as  he  could  not  allow  himself  or  allow 
them  to  be  satisfied  with  the  "  never,"  he  bent  his 
whole  energies  to  the  "  now." 

Mr.  Moody's  labors  in  the  army  were  often  much 
blessed.  Of  all  his  campaigns  of  this  kind  there  was 
none  on  which  he  looked  back  with  more  pleasure 
than  that  in  the  State  of  Tennessee,  in  connection 
with  troops  under  the  command  of  General  Howard. 
That  General  being  in  the  fullest  sympathy  with  Mr. 
Moody,  their  work  together  was  very  earnest  and 
much  blessed. 

The  war  being  ended,  Mr.  Moody  had  more  time 
to  develop  his  work  in  Chicago.  To  set  others  to 
work  in  the  vineyard  had  long  been  one  of  his  chief 
aims,  and  by  means  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian 


CHICAGO  FIRE.  15 


Association,  in  which  he  took  a  great  interest,  he  was 
highly  successful.  The  hall  of  the  association  became 
one  of  the  stated  scenes  of  his  own  labors.  The  asso- 
ciation was  very  unfortunate  in  the  matter  of  fires — 
its  first  building  having  been  burnt  down  in  1867, 
and  its  second  in  the  great  fire  of  Chicago,  in  1871. 
Mr.  Moody  was  accustomed  to  preach  to  his  own 
people  in  the  morning,  to  superintend  a  Sunday- 
school  of  about  a  thousand  in  the  afternoon,  and  to 
preach  again  in  the  evening  in  the  hall  of  the  Young 
Men's  Association. 

In  October,  1871,  occurred  the  terrible  fire  which 
destroyed  a  great  part  of  Chicago.  Mr.  Moody  and 
his  wife  and  two  children  were  roused  in  the  middle 
of  the  night  to  find  the  fierce  fire  approaching  their 
dwelling,  and,  leaving  the  house  and  household  gear 
to  their  fate  (all  the  property  he  possessed)  had  to 
hurry  along  to  seek  shelter  in  the  houses  of  friends. 

In  one  month  after  the  fire  a  temporary  erection 
for  mission  purposes  was  completed !  No  small  ener- 
gy must  have  been  required  to  accomplish  this,  amid 
the  confusion,  the  bustle,  and  the  variety  of  things 
that  had  to  be  attended  to.  But  reared  the  wooden 
building  was,  and  it  has  served  the  purpose  of  church 


16  NEW  BUILDING. 

and  school  till  now,  when  a  new  and  substantial  build- 
ing is  sufficiently  advanced  to  allow  the  basement 
story  to  be  used  for  public  services. 

It  was  shortly  before  the  fire  that  Mr.  Sankey 
began  to  work  along  with  Mr.  Moody,  who,  hap- 
pening on  some  public  occasion  to  sit  near  him, 
was  attracted  by  his  beautiful  voice.  The  thought 
struck  him  that  Mr.  Sankey  would  be  a  valuable 
assistant  to  him  in  many  ways — in  the  Sunday-school, 
in  the  church,  and  in  the  training  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association.  He  accordingly  entered  into 
an  engagement  with  him  to  help  him  in  his  work  by 
conducting  "  The  Service  of  Song."  Mr.  Moody  has 
always  been  eager  to  secure  music — and  especially 
good  music — as  an  aid  in  preaching  the  Gospel. 

"When  things  had  settled  down  after  the  Chicago  fire, 
Mr.  Moody  began  to  think  of  permanent  premises 
for  his  school  and  church.  A  suitable  site  was  secured, 
and  it  was  resolved  to  proceed  with  the  erection  of  a 
large  and  commodious  building,  which,  besides  accom- 
modation for  the  schools,  will  have  a  hall  or  church, 
containing  sittings  for  2,500.  A  little  while  ago  it 
seemed  likely  that  the  whole  sum  necessary  would  be 
provided,  but  the  general  collapse   in  business  de- 


IRA  D.  SANKEY.  17 


prived  the  enterprise  of  some  of  the  expected  contri- 
butions. 

The  immediate  cause  of  his  visit  to  Great  Britain 
was  an  invitation  by  two  gentlemen — Mr.  Penne- 
father  of  London,  and  Mr.  Bainbridge  of  Xewcastle. 
It  was  a  singular  circumstance  that  both  these  gentle- 
men died  before  or  about  the  time  of  his  arrival.  In 
regard  to  the  spiritual  superintendence  of  the  con- 
gregation, it  is  supplied  in  a  large  measure  by  mem- 
bers of  the  flock,  with  occasional  help  from  other 
pastors.  Mr.  Moody  trains  his  people  to  be  indepen- 
dent in  fact,  as  they  are  Independent  in  name.  It 
may  be  stated,  however,  that  in  one  respect  the  con- 
gregation is  Presbyterian  ;  it  is  governed  by  a  session, 
not  by  the  whole  membership. 


MR.    SAXKEY. 

Mr.  Ira  D.  Sankey  was  born  at  Edinburg,  in  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania,  U.  S.,  in  the  year  1S40. 
He  possessed  the  advantage  of  pious  parents,  so  that, 
like  Timothy,  "from  a  child  he  knew  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  which  are  able  to  make  us  wise  unto  sal- 


18  CONVERSION. 


vation,"  and  in  his  case  the  truth  of  the  text  was 
exemplified,  "  Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should 
go,  and  when  he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it." 
Although  so  religiously  educated,  it  was  not  until  the 
year  1856  that  he  experienced  that  saving  change 
of  heart,  the  new  birth,  which  can  alone  constitute 
us  members  of  Christ.  In  his  earlier  years  he  had 
not  been  without  the  strivings  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
which  at  such  times  as  the  death  of  relatives,  the 
conversion  of  companions,  or  at  seasons  of  religious 
revivals,  often  visit  the  hearts  of  the  unconverted. 

The  circumstances  under  which  he  was  brought  to 
Christ  were  as  follows  : — "With  some  young  com- 
panions he  attended  a  series  of  special  meetings  held 
in  a  little  country  chapel,  three  miles  from  his 
father's  home,  and  while  sitting  in  a  state  of  heed- 
lessness and  levity,  the  Spirit  of  God  put  it  into  -the 
heart  of  an  old  elder  of  the  church  to  go  and  speak 
to  him  about  his  soul.  Evening  after  evening  the 
old  man  would  search  him  out  after  the  sermon,  and 
plead  with  him  to  give  his  heart  and  consecrate  his 
life  to  Jesus.  Fear  of  what  his  young  associates 
would  say  kept  him  long  from  coming  to  the  Cross 
of   Christ.      But   at   last,   after  a  struggle,   lasting 


ONE  TALE  XT."  19 


seven  days,  the  experienced  elder  led  him  to 
Jesns. 

He  early  displayed  a  taste  for  sacred  music,  and 
took  an  active  part,  after  his  conversion,  in  pro- 
moting the  efficient  training  of  Sunday-school  chil- 
dren in  the  singing  of  hymns,  and  as  soon  as  he  became 
a  Church  member,  he  was  invited  to  conduct  the 
service  of  praise.  In  this  department  of  Christian 
usefulness,  together  with  superintending  the  Sabbath- 
school  of  his  Church,  and  working  in  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Associations  of  his  State,  he  devel- 
oped his  present  power  of  rendering  sacred  song. 
Before  meeting  Mr.  Moody,  much  of  his  time  was 
devoted  to  conducting  "  Evenings  of  Sacred  Song," 
and  leading  the  singing  at  large  Sunday-School  Insti- 
tutes, and  Christian  Conventions. 

It  was  at  a  Xational  Convention  of  Young  Men's 
Christian  Associations  in  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  that 
Mr.  Moody  was  struck  by  his  voice  ;  and,  as,  on 
further  acquaintance,  they  found  each  other's  views 
and  desires  in  regard  to  energetic  mission  work  iden- 
tical in  aim  and  spirit,  they  agreed  to  labor  unitedly 
in  evangelistic  services. 

For  two  or  three  years  they  worked  together  in  con- 


20  TEACHING  IN  SONG. 

ducting  meetings  at  Chicago,  as  their  headquarters, 
besides  occasionally  visiting  other  towns  and  cities, 
such  as  Philadelphia,  Pittsburg,  and  Springfield. 

Mr.  Sankey  is  fully  persuaded  that  his  mission  is 
to  stimulate  and  encourage  the  service  of  singing  in 
religious  worship.  He  is  a  strong  advocate  of  good 
hearty  congregational  singing  ;  and  approves  of  a 
large  Christian  Choir  to  lead,  but  not  to  monopolize 
the  service  of  praise. 

In  regard  to  the  solo  singing,  Mr.  Sankey,  in  sing- 
ing alone,  does  not  propose  to  substitute  this  for  wor- 
ship or  praise,  any  more  than  the  minister  does  when 
he  preaches  a  sermon.  But  his  aim  is  to  speak  to 
men  in  hymns  and  "  Spiritual  songs,"  admonishing 
them  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  passing  by. 

The  rnelodeon  and  songs  of  Mr.  Sankey  have  played 
an  important  part  in  the  revival.  As  a  means  of 
awakening  the  people,  they  have  been  most  effectual. 
Many  who  would  not  have  gone  to  hear  the  preacher, 
have  been  drawn  into  meetings  by  reports  of  the  sweet 
singing ;  and  nothing  can  exceed  the  impression  pro- 
duced, after  some  stirring  address  by  Mr.  Moody, 
by  the  sweet  voice  and  clear  enunciation  of  Mr.  Sankey 
taking  up  and  enforcing  the  same  theme  in  song. 


CHAPTER  II. 

INTRODUCTION   TO   ENGLAND. 


IX    YORK. 


Ox  Sunday  rooming,  June  22d,  1873,  Mr.  Moody 
preached  in  Salem  Congregational  Chapel  to  Chris- 
tian workers ;  in  the  afternoon,  in  the  Corn  Ex- 
change, to  about  one  thousand  persons ;  and  in  the 
evening  in  Wesley  Chapel.  Many  were  impressed 
and  some  brought  to  trust  in  the  Saviour.  Every 
evening  the  following  week,  Bible  lectures  were  de- 
livered  in  various  chapels,  each  service  appearing  to 
awaken  souls,  but  especially  to  quicken  believers. 

On  Sabbath-day,  June  29th,  Mr.  Moody  preached 
in  two  other  chapels,  and  also  twice  in  the  Corn 
Exchange  to  audiences  numbering  about  one  thou- 
sand each.  Every  week-evening  service  was  pre- 
ceded by  a  service  of  song  by  Mr.  Sankey.  Prayer- 
meetings  were  held  every  noon  at  the  rooms  of  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  and  many  there 
offered  themselves  and  others  for  the  prayers  of 
God's  people. 


22  IN  SUNDERLAND. 

The  congregations  were  from  the  first  increasingly 
large:  all  denominations  opened  their  chapels  and 
gave  their  presence  and  help,  various  of  the  clergy 
also  heartily  bidding  them  "  God  speed."  * 

From  York  they  proceeded,  during  the  month  of 
July,  to  Sunderland,  and  commenced  their  labors  in 
the  Victoria  Hall,  a  place  capable  of  holding  about 
three  thousand  souls.  The  evening  meeting  was  a 
large  one,  and  very  successful. 

At  the  close  of  the  meeting,  a  large  number  ad- 
journed to  Bethesda  Chapel  (Rev.  A.  A.  Rees) ; 
much  prayer  was  offered  up,  and  many  anxious 
souls  were  pointed  to  Jesus,  several  finding  ever- 
lasting life  through  His  precious  blood.  The  meet- 
ings continued  every  night  for  a  week,  and  at  all 
the  meetings  souls  were  awakened,  and  some  at  all 
the  meetings  found  peace. 

On  Sunday  (July  27),  they  were  again  at  the 
Yictoria  Hall.  In  the  evening  the  attendance  was 
enormous,  every  seat  being  occupied,  and  the  aisle 
and  the  lobbies  crowded  ;  upwards  of  three  thousand 
souls  were  present.  The  audience  was  very  deeply 
impressed.  An  adjournment  was  then  made  (as  be- 
*  Reported  by  Geo.  Bennett,  Sec.  York  Y.  M.  C.  A. 


NEWCASTLE-ON-TTXE.  23 

fore)  to  Bethesda  Chapel.  Here  a  very  touching 
scene  occurred.  A.  young  man,  who  had  long  back- 
slidden, came  up  the  aisle  to  his  father  and  mother, 
who  are  godly  persons.  He  first  put  his  arms  round 
his  fathers  neck,  and  kissed  him,  asking  his  forgive- 
ness with  many  tears  ;  then  kissing  his  mother,  and 
asking  her  forgiveness  ;  afterwards  kissing  his  younger 
brother.  Several  other  backsliders  returned  to  the 
Lord,  giving  hope  that  their  repentance  is  truly  the 
Lord's  work. 

Newcastle,  built,  as  its  name  implies,  on  the  river 
Tyne,  is  a  thriving,  populous  town,  in  which  the  coal 
and  iron  give  employment  to  great  multitudes  of 
operatives.     It  was  now  approached. 

The  minister  of  the  John  Knox  Presbyterian 
Church,  in  JS~ewcastle-on-Tyne,  among  many  others, 
placed  his  church-building  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Evangelists.  Good  meetings  had  been  held  in  the 
Baptist  Church  edifice  here,  Mr.  Skerry  co-operating 
heartily.  We  shall  allow  the  minister  of  the  John 
Knox  church  to  give  his  impressions  of  the  work  up 
to  9th  September,  1873  : 

w  For  some  time  before  the  meeting  commenced, 
the  church  was  densely  crowded  in  every  part,  in- 


24:  INQ  TJIR  Y-MEETINOS. 

eluding  aisles,  stairs,  and  side  rooms,  with  persons  of 
all  sects,  from  town  and  country,  while  many  were 
obliged  to  go  away  who  could  not  obtain  admittance. 
I  have  not  witnessed  such  proofs  of  the  Holy  Spirit's 
saving  power  for  several  years.  Mr.  Sankey  was  at 
North  Shields,  where  an  interest  in  spiritual  things 
has  been  awakened  in  the  hearts  of  many,  Mr. 
Moody  preached.  The  pure,  full-orbed  truths  of  God's 
"Word  came  in  close  and  certain  succession  from  his 
lips,  and  fell  with  telling  power  on  the  hearts  of  the 
throng.  The  impression  produced  was  too  deep  and 
true  to  show  itself  in  violent  ebullitions  of  feeling. 
The  dense  mass  seemed  at  every  point  the  subject  of 
intense  solemnity  and  awe. 

"  A  large  mass  of  people  waited  for  the  second 
meeting,  and  seemed  quite  unwilling  to  go  away. 
Many  convicted  ones  were  prevailed  on  afterwards 
to  retire  to  the  vestry,  where  Christian  friends  were 
in  readiness  to  point  them  to  the  Lamb  of  God  who 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world  ;  others  received 
instruction  in  the  pews  of  the  church.  All  that 
were  addressed  personally  retired,  so  far  as  I  could 
see,  rejoicing  in  God  their  Saviour. 

"  This  town  has  not  been  blessed  in  the  same  man- 


BY  ANY  MEANS."  25 


ner  since  I  knew  it,  and  for  many  years  before  that, 
according  to  the  testimony  of  older  inhabitants  who 
are  quite  competent  to  judge.  What  amount  of 
fruit  will  remain  we  must  wait  to  see,  but  for  present 
tilings  God's  people  have  very  abundant  reason  to 
thank  God  and  to  take  courage." 

Special  addresses  to  Christians,  a  sermon  in  the 
"  Friends'  meeting-house,"  at  the  request  of  members 
who  had  been  deeply  impressed  ;  meetings  at  Gates- 
head for  those  whose  salvation  was  a  matter  of  deep 
concern  to  their  relatives;  addresses  to  the  factory 
workmen  in  the  Tyne  Theatre  at  their  own  request, 
formed  some  of  the  means  employed  in  this  great 
northern  center,  and  on  which  the  Divine  blessing 
richly  rested. 

As  many  as  thirty-four  meetings  were  arranged 
for  one  week,  and  the  interest  in  the  noon-prayer 
meeting  was  unprecedented. 

Let  the  following  incident,  reported  by  Mr.  Henry 
Moorhouse,  illustrate  the  feeling  among  the  poor  and 
needy : 

A  gentleman  passing  down  a  street  in  Gateshead 
heard  some  one  knocking  at  the  window  of  a  cottage. 
He  stopped  and  a  respectable  woman  came  to  the 
2 


26  HOPING  GREAT  THINGS. 

door,  and  said  :  "  Come  in  ! "  He  said  he  could  not 
then,  as  he  was  going  to  a  meeting. 

"  Oh,  sir,  for  God's  sake  come  in,  and  tell  me 
something  about  Jesus,  for  I  am  wretched." 

"  What  is  the  matter?  "  said  my  friend. 

She  said,  "  I  am  lost ;  oh  tell  me  what  I  must  do 
to  be  saved.  I  have  been  standing  at  my  window  all 
the  day  to  see  if  a  Christian  would  come  along,  and 
if  it  had  only  been  a  beggar  who  loved  the  Saviour, 
I  would  have  called  him  in." 

She  had  been  at  a  meeting  a  week  before,  and  had 
been  in  a  miserable  state  ever  since.  A  Christian 
lady  called  to  see  her  and  told  her  about  the  love  of 
Jesus.  She  trusted,  and  was  saved.  "  I  saw  her  to-day," 
said  the  speaker,  "  as  happy  and  bright  as  possible." 

At  so  early  a  date  as  October,  1873,  Mr.  Moody 
had  faith  enough  to  lead  him  to  say  to  the  daily 
prayer-meeting,  at  which  nearly  nine  hundred  Chris- 
tians of  all  ranks  were  present,  that  they  were  on  the 
eve  of  a  great  work,  which  might  cover  Britain,  and 
make  itself  felt  in  America.  God  would  bless  them, 
were  they  willing  to  let  His  Spirit  work  through  them, 
and  to  place  their  influence  wholly  at  His  disposal. 
The    daily    prayer-meeting    must    be     maintained 


DAILY  PRAYER-MEETING.  27 

and  cherished  if  directly  evangelistic  efforts  are  to 
be  wisely  conducted,  and  be  accompanied  with  a 
stream  of  true  life.  To  his  own  soul  the  daily 
prayer-meetings  in  America  had  been  a  source  of 
unspeakable  blessing — nay,  had  done  more  to  re- 
fresh and  fit  him  for  evangelistic  enterprise  than  all 
other  means  of  grace  put  together.  The  prayer- 
meetings  in  his  own  city  had  kept  his  soul  on  edge 
from  the  date  of  its  commencement,  fifteen  years  ago, 
to  the  present  time.  "  Why,"  said  our  friend,  "  may 
the  fire  not  burn  as  long  as  I  live  ?  When  this  re- 
vival spirit  dies,  may  I  die  with  it ! " 

The  extent  of  this  work  around  Newcastle  is  thus 
described  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Skerry,  minister  of  one  of 
the  Baptist  churches,  already  mentioned. 

"  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that,  from  the  common  cen- 
ter of  Newcastle,  which  may  almost  be  regarded  as 
the  base  of  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey's  spiritual 
operations,  there  has  spread  throughout  the  neighbor- 
ing towns  and  villages  this  powerful  spirit  of  earnest- 
ness, and  longing  for  the  glory  of  God  to  be  seen  in 
the  quickening  of  Christian  people  and  the  salvation 
of  sinners — a  spirit  which  we  trust  will  grow  to  more 
and  more  fully  developed  dimensions,  until  the  whole 


28 


PREVAILING  PRAYER. 


of  Tyneside,  with  its  vast  industry,  and  the  whole  of 
the  north  of  England,  with  its  sin  and  suffering,  and 
with  its  deep  and  widespread  need,  shall  have  come 
beneath  the  reviving  touch  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 

"  Truly  God  has  been  good  unto  Israel,  and  we 
render  to  Him  all  praise  and  thanksgiving  for  sending 
to  us,  by  the  hands  of  our  honored  American  breth- 
ren, this  blessing  from  on  high.  For  these  brethren 
and  their  work  we  also  pray  most  heartily.  Wher- 
ever their  feet  may  turn,  we  beseech  the  God  of  grace 
to  go  before  them,  and  prepare  their  way,  inclining  the 
hearts  of  Christian  workers  to  sympathize  with  and 
help  them  with  their  self-imposed  and  arduous  though 
glorious  task,  so  that  in  many  a  town  and  district  the 
work  of  the  Lord  may  prosper  abundantly,  and  many 
precious  souls  may  be  won  for  the  dear  Lord  and 
Master." 

In  the  might  of  such  blessing  as  these  prayers  bring 
down,  the  brethren  proceeded,  after  two  months  of 
earnest  and  fruitful  work,  on  which  they  had  entered 
with  little  introduction,  to  other  fields,  such  as  Bishop 
Auckland. 

There  all  the  non-conformist  ministers  and  their 
people  had  devoted  a  week  to  prayer  for  the  blessing 


STOCKTON-OX-TEES.  29 

of  God,  on  their  visit.  The  Rev.  Thomas  Boyd, 
Presbyterian  minister  of  the  place,  after  describing 
the  meetings  in  the  "Wesleyan  Chapel,  says,  after  the 
evangelists  had  gone : 

<{  Such  has  been  the  number  of  cases,  and  such  many 
of  the  parties,  that  had  it  been  told  to  any  Christian 
friend  a  fortnight  ago,  he  would  not  have  believed  it. 
Even  with  all  this  before  us,  so  wonderful  is  it,  that 
we  almost  feel  as  if  we  dreamt.  God's  Spirit  still 
works  powerfully.  Every  night  souls  are  aroused,  and, 
under  the  guidance  of  Christian  friends,  led  to  Jesus." 

At  Stockton-on-Tees,  in  which  the  early  part  of 
November  was  spent,  the  result  is  thus  described  by 
an  intelligent  observer  on  the  spot ;  and  once  for  all 
we  call  attention  to  the  union  of  prayer  and  Catholic 
feeling  before  and  in  the  work : 

"  This  work  has  been  very  great ;  and  in  examin- 
ing, for  our  own  future  guidance  and  the  guidance  of 
others,  into  the  apparent  causes  of  success,  we  are 
struck  with  the  following :  first,  the  preparation  of 
united,  believing  prayer.  Mr,  Moody  said,  that  on 
coming  into  the  first  meeting,  he  and  Mr.  Sankey 
felt  that  they  were  amongst  a  praying  people  ;  and  to 
this  and  the  next  cause,  viz. :  the  united  action  of  the 


30  QUIETNESS  AND  CONFIDENCE. 

ministers  of  the  town,  he  mainly  attributed  the  fact,  that 
in  no  place  which  they  had  visited  had  they  witnessed 
such  evident  results  in  so  short  a  time.  It  was  very 
delightful  to  see,  at  each  of  the  services,  eight  or  ten 
of  these  devoted  pastors,  most  of  them  in  the  vigor 
of  young  manhood,  strong-souled,  intelligent  men, 
representing  various  shades  of  denominational  belief, 
but  merging  all  differences  in  mutual  affection,  and 
the  common  desire  to  aid  in  the  glorious  work ;  and 
many  hearts  were  constrained  by  the  sight  to  give 
thanks  for  such  a  ministry  in  Stockton.  Another 
very  important  feature  was  the  absence  of  noise  in 
the  meetings.  The  experience  of  the  past  few  days 
will,  we  think,  have  convinced  them  that  the  best  and 
most  successful  prayer-meetings  ever  held  in  Stockton 
have  been  the  quietest,  reminding  us  of  the  old  lady's 
description,  <  God  Almighty  was  so  near  that  nobody 
had  to  shout  to  Him.'  " 

The  Convention,  in  some  degree  an  American  in- 
stitution, has  been  introduced  into  Great  Britain,  the 
first  of  any  moment  in  connection  with  this  move- 
ment having  been  held  at  Newcastle-on-Tyne,  on 
"Wednesday,  November  12th,  1873.  The  topics  dis- 
cussed were  of  immediate  interest,  such  as : 


EFFECTIVE  MEETINGS.  31 

How  to  reach  the  Masses,  How  to  Conduct  Prayer- 
meetings,  How  to  Conduct  After-meetings,  How  to 
Secure  the  Young  for  Christ,  What  are  the  Hin- 
derances  to  the  Lord's  Work  ? 

Fifteen  minutes  were  allowed  for  the  introducer  of 
each  subject,  and  to  other  speakers  five  minutes  each, 
Mr.  Moody  keeping  time  by  means  of  a  small  table- 
bell. 

On  prayer-meetings  the  Rev.  Mr.  Haigh  said : 
"  Special  objects  should  be  stated,  with  appropriate 
Scripture  promises,  and  special  requests  ought  to  be 
sent  in  to  the  president.  On  Sunday  evenings  the  one 
subject  ought  to  be  the  salvation  of  souls.  Prayer 
should  generally  be  short.  A  woman  once  said  to  a 
man  who  was  circumlocuting  in  prayer,  'Ax  Him 
summat,  man  ! '  The  best  means  of  putting  down  a 
man  who  prays  too  long  is  to  speak  to  him  privately. 
In  all  meetings  there  ought  to  be  moments  of  silent 
prayer.  Singing  in  a  meeting  ought  to  be  subordi- 
nate to  prayer,  and  partake  of  a  petitionary  character. 
Mr.  Spurgeon  had  said,  '  The  prayer-meeting  stood 
in  the  same  relation  to  the  church  as  the  engine  did 
to  the  factory.  If  it  decline,  all  our  efforts  will  be 
abortive.' " 


34  NORTHWARD. 


bring  Jesus  of  Nazareth  right  down  into  the  streets 
of  our  own  city,  or,  again,  to  take  us  right  up  to  the 
gates  of  heaven,  prepared  the  way  for  the  word  of 
life  from  the  lips  of  Mr.  Moody ;  that  word  was  with 
power,  and  many  were  the  anxious  souls  pressing 
forward  to  know  the  way  of  life.  Jesus  has  become 
precious  to  many ;  souls  have  been  born  of  God,  and 
tears  of  contrition  have  given  place  to  tears  of  joy. 

"  This  much  as  to  the  blessing  bestowed  on  the  un- 
converted ;  but  what  shall  be  said  as  to  that  which  has 
rested  upon  the  Christians  ?  It  has  been  a  time  of 
drawing  together  such  as  we  have  not  known  any- 
thing of  before.  Ministers  of  the  different  denom- 
inations have  thrown  themselves  heart  and  soul  into 
the  work,  and  the  close  of  the  week  finds  us  recog- 
nizing, not  in  theory  but  in  fact,  that  we  are  all  one 
in  Christ  Jesus,  and  banded  together,  that  by  our 
union  in  Him  we  may  honor  His  blessed  name." 

So  the  American  strangers  had  their  way  opened 
up  in  England,  and  the  report  under  God  prepared 
the  people  of  Scotland  to  hope  and  expect  great 
things. 


CHAPTER  III. 

EDINBURGH. 

The  Rev.  John  Kelman,  of  Free  St.  John's 
Church,  Leith,  was  induced  to  visit  Newcastle,  and 
became  so  convinced  of  the  reality  and  extent  of  the 
work  of  grace  there,  that,  on  his  return  home,  he 
largely  spread  the  good  tidings  among  his  brethren 
in  the  ministry,  and  devoted  Christian  laymen.  An 
earnest  invitation  was  given  to  Messrs.  Moody  and 
Sankey  to  visit  Edinburgh  and  Leith,  which  was  ac- 
cepted. 

This  led  to  the  proposal  of  a  conference  of  those 
gentlemen  interested  in  the  anticipated  visit  of  the 
American  brethren  to  Edinburgh.  A  meeting  was 
accordingly  held  in  the  Craigie  Hall,  at  which  a 
number  of  leading  ministers  and  Christian  laymen 
assembled,  and  gave  decided  and  full  expression  of 
their  opinion  of  the  great  importance  of  the  proposed 
services  ;  and  thus  practically  gave  a  cordial  and  ear- 
nest anticipatory  welcome  to  the  American  brethren. 

Following  up  the  proceedings  of  this  conference, 


36  m  EDINBURGH. 


a  prayer  meeting  was  held  in  the  Craigie  Hall  every 
Monday,  and,  as  the  time  approached  for  the 
expected  visit,  it  was  transferred  to  the  Upper 
Queen  Street  Hall,  and  held  daily  at  3  p.  m.  These 
meetings  were  characterized  by  the  remarkable  fervor, 
unction,  and  faith  of  the  supplications  poured  forth 
from  hearts  intensely  earnest  for  the  bestowal  of  the 
blessing  desired.  The  brief  hour  of  each  meeting  was 
felt  to  be  a  hallowed  season,  and  from  what  was  ex- 
perienced at  these  meetings,  a  strong  impression  was 
formed  that  a  great  blessing  was  about  to  descend 
upon  Edinburgh. 

On  Saturday,  the  22d  of  November,  1873,  Messrs. 
Moody  and  Sankey  arrived  in  Edinburgh.  On  the 
evening  of  the  following  day  (Sabbath),  a  meeting 
was  held  in  the  Music  Hall  for  the  purpose  of  hear- 
ing Mr.  Moody  preach,  and  Mr.  Sankey  sing,  the 
gospel.  The  large  hall,  capable  of  holding  over  two 
thousand  persons,  was  densely  crowded,  and  thousands 
could  not  gain  admission.  Yarious  city  ministers  and 
laymen  took  part  in  the  exercises  through  which 
were  interspersed  Mr.  Sankey's  sacred  songs,  con- 
ducting the  entire  services  of  the  meeting  with  much 
unction  and  power.     This  introductory  meeting  con 


CORDIAL   CO-OPERATION.  37 

eluded  the  evening  services,  there  being  no  after 
meeting  for  inquirers  held  on  this  occasion.  Mr. 
Moody  was  hoarse  and  sick ;  but  the  meeting  was 
well  sustained  by  ministers  and  laymen,  and  by 
Mr.  Sankey's  singing. 

jNext  day,  the  daily  prayer-meeting  was  transferred 
from  the  Upper  Queen  Street  Hall  to  the  Lower,  which 
is  capable  of  containing  about  twelve  hundred  people, 
and  the  hour  was  changed  to  twelve  o'clock,  noon. 
Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  were  accompanied  to  the 
platform  by  the  leading  ministers  and  laymen,  several 
of  whom  aided  in  conducting  the  services.  This  was 
the  commencement  of  the  noon-day  prayer  meeting, 
which,  as  will  be  shown  in  the  sequel,  has  assumed 
such  large  proportions,  and  which  has  been  so  fraught 
with  richest  blessing. 

In  the  evening,  meetings  were  commenced  in  the 
Barclay  Church  (Rev.  Mr.  Wilson's)  at  seven  o'clock, 
by  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey.  The  latter  accompa- 
nied his  sacred  gospel  songs  with  the  American  organ, 
which  in  no  respect  prevented  the  distinct  hearing 
of  the  gospel  message,  so  strikingly  communicated 
with  clear  and  perfect  articulation,  to  the  thousand 
listening  ears. 


38  MEN  A  WAKENED. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  first  meeting,  a  second 
was  held  for  special  prayer,  and  a  large  congregation 
remained  in  their  seats.  During  this  time  and  after- 
wards, anxious  inquirers,  of  whom  there  were  many, 
were  dealt  with  in  the  several  halls  of  the  church  by 
Mr.  Moody,  the  minister  of  the  church,  and  by  other 
ministers  and  qualified  persons. 

During  the  currency  of  the  week,  the  work  greatly 
deepened  and  extended.  On  the  following  Sabbath 
evening  three  meetings  were  held,  the  first  in  the 
Barclay  Church,  the  second  in  Yiewforth  Church,  and 
the  third  in  Fountainbridge  Church.  Every  part  of 
these  churches  was  crowded  long  before  the  time 
fixed  for  the  meetings,  and  thousands  could  not 
gain  admittance.  At  all  the  meetings  many  were 
awakened,  and  in  the  next  day's  noon  prayer-meet- 
ing, prayer  was  asked  for  several  special  cases ;  two, 
for  instance,  who  had  been  awakened  in  the  regular 
forenoon's  service  in  the  Barclay  Church,  and 
another  who  had  been  awakened  in  the  Fountain- 
bridge  Church  evening  meeting.  Thanksgiving  was 
also  requested  to  be  given  for  those  who  had  found 
the  Saviour. 

During  the  progress  of  the  week's  meetings,  the 


POWER  OF  THE  WORD.  39 

ministers  and  others  engaged  in  the  work  were, 
through  astonishment  and  joy,  as  men  that  dreamed. 
Many  avowed  their  joy  at  the  inquiry  meetings ; 
others  felt  it  without  any  open  declaration.  An 
elder,  for  example,  met  a  man  and  his  wife  who  had 
never  been  at  the  inquiry  meetings  returning  to  their 
home  with  their  countenances  radiant  with  gladness. 

The  impression  made  on  the  Christian  mind  of 
Edinburgh  is  thus  stated  by  the  Rev.  John  Kelman, 
after  three  weeks'  labor  in  the  city  : 

"  The  part  of  the  service  toward  which  all  the 
others  tend,  and  in  which  the  power  culminates,  is 
the  address  by  Mr.  Moody,  in  which,  in  simple,  vig- 
orous, and  telling  language,  he  holds  up  before  men 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and  makes  most  earnest 
and  powerful  appeals  to  heart  and  conscience.  Mr. 
Moody  is  strikingly  free  from  all  pretense  and  parade; 
he  speaks  as  one  who  thoroughly  believes  what  he 
says,  and  who  is  in  downright  earnest  in  delivering 
his  message.  His  descriptions  are  characterized  by 
remarkable  vividness  and  graphic  power.  He  has  a 
great  wealth  of  illustration,  and  his  illustrations  are 
always  apposite,  bring  out  into  the  clearest  light  the 
point  which  he  intends  to  illustrate,  and  fix  it  for- 


40  SOLEMNITY  OF  FEELING. 

ever  in  the  memories  of  many.  There  is  very  little 
excitement.  There  is  no  extravagance.  But  the 
effect  of  the  services  is  seen  in  the  manifest  impres- 
sion produced  on  the  audience  generally,  in  the 
anxious  inquirers  (varying  in  number  from  about 
forty  to  upwards  of  seventy,  as  on  Friday  last),  who 
remain  behind  for  spiritual  conversation  and  prayer 
after  every  meeting,  and  also  in  the  hundreds  of  per- 
sons, in  all  grades  of  the  social  scale,  scattered  through 
Edinburgh  and  neighborhood,  who  are  more  or  less 
awakened  to  realize  the  importance  of  eternal  things, 
are  burdened  with  a  sense  of  sin,  and  longing  to  ob- 
tain salvation.  Not  a  few  also  profess  to  have  been 
brought  out  of  darkness  into  marvelous  light,  to  have 
been  made  partakers  of  a  new  life  of  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ,  and  to  be  going  on  their  way  rejoicing." 

The  daily  prayer-meeting  having  been  a  remark- 
able feature  of  the  work  in  Edinburgh,  it  may  be 
proper  to  notice  its  history  and  character : 

"  On  the  day  on  which  the  first  meeting  was  held,  more 
than  five  hundred  persons  were  present.  The  attend- 
ance steadily  increased,  till  there  was  some  difficulty  as 
to  fixing  on  a  suitable  place.  The  Rev.  A.  "Whyte, 
of  Free  St.  George's,  being  applied  to,  kindly  offered 


COME  AND   SEE.''  41 


his  church  for  the  prayer-meeting.  Ultimately,  on  ac- 
count of  its  centra]  situation,  it  was  resolved  to  hold  the 
meeting  in  the  Free  Assembly  Hall.  The  attendance 
there  was  usually  upwards  of  a  thousand  daily. 

"  The  first  half  of  the  hour  is  employed  with  sing- 
ing part  of  a  psalm  or  hymn,  reading  (in  a  summa- 
rized form)  the  requests  for  prayer,  prayer,  and  a  few 
remarks  by  Mr.  Moody  on  some  passage  of  Scripture. 
During  the  second  half,  the  meeting  is  open,  any  per- 
son present  being  at  liberty  to  engage  in  prayer,  read 
a  short  passage  of  Scripture,  make  a  statement  about 
the  work  of  God,  or  request  the  singing  of  any  par- 
ticular psalm  or  hymn.  This  meeting  is  felt  to  be  of 
the  most  delightful  and  refreshing  character :  and 
when  one  o'clock  strikes,  every  person  is  surprised, 
and  can  scarcely  believe  that  the  hour  is  ended. 

"  Christians,  who  had  looked  on  with  a  desire  to  see 
what  would  come  of  the  movement,  found  their  diffi- 
culties melting  away  by  contact  with  the  work,  and 
cordially  identified  themselves  with  it.  Denomina- 
tional differences  were  lost  sight  of,  and  oneness  in 
Christ  was  realized  and  rejoiced  in."  Even  then,  Mr. 
Kulman,  in  the  faith  that  expects  an  answer,  and  of 
which  we  had  an  example  in  Mr.  Moody's  address  in 


42  «  TEACH  THE  PEOPLE." 

Newcastle,  could  write — "  It  seems  as  if  a  winter  of 
wonderful  blessing  were  lying  before  Edinburgh  and 
Leith." 

It  is  not  needful  to  say  that  Scottish  Christians 
attach  little  weight  to  mere  feeling  without  intelli- 
gence, and  in  this  they  were  in  hearty  sympathy  with 
the  evangelists,  by  whom  instruction  was  considered 
a  main  and  all-important  branch  of  their  work.  There 
was  no  public  meeting  on  the  Monday  evening  fol- 
lowing the  close  of  the  first  week's  services  in  the 
Barclay  Church ;  but,  instead  of  this,  a  meeting  for 
the  converts  who  had,  during  the  previous  week,  pro- 
fessed to  have  closed  with  Christ,  and  those  who  were 
anxious,  was  held  on  that  evening  in  the  Free  Assem- 
bly Hall.  The  Monday  evenings  thereafter  were  al- 
ways devoted  to  such  meetings. 

Some  apprehension  was  felt  as  to  the  hymns  and 
instrument  of  Mr.  Sankey  producing  an  unfavorable 
impression.  The  Eev.  Dr.  Thomson  published  his 
views  after  a  week's  labor  in  his  church,  the  Broughton 
Place  United  Presbyterian. 

"  The  service  of  song  conducted  by  Mr.  Sankey, 
in  which  music  is  used  as  the  handmaid  of  a  gospel 
ministry,  has  already  been  described  in  your  columns. 


REV.  DR.  THOMSON. 


I  have  never  found  it  objected  to,  except  by  those 
who  have  not  witnessed  it.  Those  who  have  come 
and  heard,  have  departed  with  their  prejudices  van- 
quished, and  their  hearts  impressed.  We  might 
quote  in  commendation  of  this  somewhat  novel  man- 
ner of  preaching  the  gospel,  the  words  of  good  George 
Herbert : 

'A  verse  may  win  him  who  the  gospel  flies, 
And  turn  delight  into  a  sacrifice.' 

"  There  is  nothing  of  novelty  in  the  doctrine  which 
Mr.  Moody  proclaims.  It  is  the  old  gospel — old,  yet 
always  fresli  and  young  too,  as  the  living  fountain  or 
the  morning  sun — in  which  the  substitution  of  Christ 
is  placed  in  the  center,  and  presented  with  admirable 
distinctness  and  decision.  It  is  spoken  with  most 
impressive  directness,  not  as  by  a  man  half  convinced, 
and  who  seems  always  to  feel  that  a  skeptic  is  looking 
over  his  shoulder,  but  with  a  deep  conviction  of  the 
truth  of  what  he  says,  as  if,  like  our  own  Andrew 
Fuller,  he  could  '  venture  his  eternity  on  it,'  and  with 
a  tremendous  earnestness,  as  if  lie  felt  that  6  if  he  did 
not  speak,  the  very  stones  would  cry  out.'  The 
illustrations  and  anecdotes,  drawn  principally  from  his 
strangely-varied  life,  are  so  wisely  chosen,  so  graphi- 


M  0  UT  OF  AN  IGE  HO  USE. 

cally  told,  and  so  well  applied,  as  never  to  fail  in  hit- 
ting the  mark." 

There  was  the  greatest  variety  among  the  inquirers. 
There  were  present  from  the  old  man  of  seventy-five 
to  the  youth  of  eleven,  soldiers  from  the  Castle,  stu- 
dents from  the  University,  the  backsliding,  the  intem- 
perate, the  skeptical,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  the 
educated  and  the  uneducated. 

"  There  was,"  adds  Dr.  Thomson,  ua  considerable 
number  of  skeptics  among  the  inquirers,  but  their 
speculative  doubts  and  difficulties  very  soon  became 
of  no  account,  when  they  came  to  have  a  proper  view 
of  their  sins.  Some  have  already  come  to  tell  me  of 
their  renunciation  of  unbelief,  and  their  discipleship 
to  Christ.  One  has  publicly  announced  that  he  can 
no  longer  live  in  the  ice-house  of  cold  negations,  and 
has  asked  Mr.  Moody  to  publish  the  address  which 
brought  light  to  his  heart,  and  to  circulate  it  far  and 
wide  over  the  land." 

The  movement  in  the  capital  of  Scotland  had 
now  assumed  the  most  impressive  proportions.  The 
people  crowded  to  meetings  in  such  numbers  that 
admission  had  occasionally  to  be  secured  by  ticket. 
The  "working-classes"   crowded  the  churches,  and 


AN  ALL-DA  Y  MEETING.  45 

young  men  alone  sometimes  filled  the  Free  As- 
sembly Hall.  Christian  young  men  eager  to  receive 
direction  in  Christian  work,  children  to  be  simply 
spoken  to  of  the  way  of  life,  and  eager  and  interested 
general  audiences  proved  how  thorough  a  hold  divine 
truth  had  acquired  over  the  feelings  and  consciences 
of  the  people. 

With  the  view  of  extending  the  movement,  an  all- 
day  meeting  was  arranged  for  the  17th  December 
(1873),  at  which  special  subjects  were  assigned  for 
different  hours,  the  discussion  of  which  was  intro- 
duced in  an  address  of  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour ; 
full  liberty  being  given  to  any  one  in  the  audience  to 
express  his  thoughts.  Prayers  were  also  offered  by 
various  brethren,  and  Mr.  Sankey  led  the  service  of 
praise.     Mr.  Moody  presided. 

"We  are  struck,"  says  the  Eev.  Mr.  Taylor,  "with 
the  solemn  stillness.  One  of  the  Edinburgh  ministers 
is  closing  some  remarks  on  the  subject  of  praise,  and 
is  followed  by  Mr.  Moody.  We  listen  to  a  rapid 
speaker,  with  a  marked  American  intonation ;  it  re- 
quires a  moment  or  two  to  habituate  our  ear  to  his 
utterance ;  but  that  attained,  we  forget  all  peculiari- 
ties, in  the  clearness,  earnestness,  directness,  and  tell- 


46  AT  LEAST  PRAISE. 

ing  character  of  his  statements.  'Get  full  of  the 
word  of  God '  is  the  conclusion  of  what  he  says,  '  and 
you  can't  help  praising  Him.'  He  tells  of  a  young 
pastor,  newly  placed  over  a  church,  who,  finding  his 
prayer-meetings  ill-attended  and  lifeless,  surprised  his 
people  one  Sabbath,  by  announcing  that  there  would 
be  no  prayer-meeting  that  week,  but  a  meeting  for 
praise.  Curiosity  brought  out  a  large  gathering  of 
his  church ;  he  told  them  that  as  they  were  so  reluc- 
tant to  pray,  he  wished  every  one  now  to  look  back 
on  his  past  life,  and  see  if  he  did  not  remember  some- 
thing to  thank  God  for,  and  just  to  rise  up  and  thank 
God  for  it.  The  result  was,  that  one  after  another 
rose  up,  thanking  God  for  this  and  that  mercy,  till 
the  hour  was  over  before  they  were  aware,  and  they 
went  away  declaring  it  to  be  the  best  meeting  they 
had  ever  had ;  and  not  only  so,  but  this  proved  to  be 
the  beginning  of  a  revival  among  them.  Then  fol- 
lowed Mr.  Moody's  coadjutor,  Mr.  Sankey. 

"After  a  few  words  of  exhortation  not  to  abuse 
praise  in  our  churches,  by  employing  it  merely  to  fill 
up  time,  but  to  utter  real  praise,  Mr.  Sankey  explained 
briefly  the  principle  of  his  singing,  as  intended  to  be 
a  real  \  teaching.'     And  as  he  proceeded  to  sing,  we 


REV.  DR.  BLAIKIE.  47 

felt  that  it  was  real  teaching.  Not  merely  was  there 
his  wonderful  voice,  which  made  every  word  dis- 
tinctly heard  in  the  remotest  corner  of  the  hall,  and 
to  which  the  organ  accompaniment  was  felt  to  be 
merely  subsidiary,  but  it  was  the  scriptural  thought 
borne  into  the  mind  upon  the  wave  of  song,  and  kept 
there  until  we  were  obliged  to  look  at  it,  and  feel  it 
in  its  importance  and  its  preciousness." 

A  month's  labors  in  the  city  had  inspired  con- 
fidence, overcome  any  prejudice  that  existed  against 
any  part  of  the  evangelists'  methods,  the  hymns  in 
which — and  with  an  instrument,  too — less  familiar 
to  Scottish  than  to  American  ears — might  especially 
have  been  expected  to  provoke  criticism.  The  num- 
ber of  meetings  was  increased.  We  find  such  men 
as  the  Eev.  Dr.  Blaikie,  of  the  Free  Church  College 
(remembered  by  his  visit  as  a  Delegate  to  America  a 
few  years  ago),  bearing  public  testimony  to  the 
general  movement,  and  to  particular  parts  of  it. 

"  Among  the  most  direct  and  touching  fruits," 
says  Dr.  Blaikie,  "  of  saving  impressions  in  the  case 
of  any  one,  affectionate  interest  in  the  welfare  of  other 
members  of  the  family  is  one  of  the  surest  and  most 
uniform.     A  working  man  of  fifty  years  of  age,  for 


4:8  ORE  AT  JOT. 


example,  is  impressed  and  brought  to  peace  in  believ- 
ing, and  immediately  he  comes  to  the  minister  and 
cries  out,  with  streaming  eyes,  '  Oh  !  pray  for  my 
two  sons  ! '  A  father  and  his  son  are  seen  at  another 
meeting  with  arms  round  each  other's  necks.  In 
many  cases  the  work  of  conversion  seems  to  go 
through  whole  families.  That  peculiar  joyfulness 
and  expectation  which  marks  young  converts,  is  often 
the  means  of  leading  others  to  the  fountain,  and  two, 
three,  four,  and  even  more  members  of  the  same 
family  share  the  blessing.  There  have  been  some 
very  remarkable  conversions  of  skeptics.  Dr.  Andrew 
Thomson  told  of  one  who,  having  been  awakened  on 
the  previous  week,  had  gone  for  the  first  time  to 
church  on  the  previous  Sunday.  He  had  hardly  been 
in  a  place  of  worship  for  years,  and  a  week  before  he 
would  have  scouted  the  idea.  He  was  so  happy  in 
the  morning  that  he  returned  in  the  afternoon.  The 
blessing  seemed  to  come  down  upon  him.  "We  have 
heard  of  the  case  of  another  skeptic  who  had  carried 
his  unbelief  to  the  verge  of  blasphemy,  and  who  has 
now  come  to  the  foot  of  the  Cross." 

In  St.  Stephen's  congregation  the  Rev.  Dr.  Nichol- 
son presided  ;  and  every  evening  there  were  around 


CALLS  FROM  THE  COUNTRY.  49 

the  pulpit  ministers  of  all  denominations,  from  all 
parts  of  the  country,  while  among  the  audience  there 
were  members  of  the  nobility,  professors  from  the 
university,  and  distinguished  lawyers  from  the  Par- 
liament House.  Many  came  to  criticise  and  seek 
grounds  for  opposition,  who  went  away  to  approve 
and  pray. 

An  Edinburgh  newspaper  {The  Daily  Review), 
representing  the  general  religious  feeling  of  the  city, 
thus  describes  the  condition  of  things : 

"  There  is  a  general  feeling,  and  it  has  prevailed 
for  some  time,  that  we  need,  and  that  we  may  expect, 
a  blessing  of  unusual  magnitude.  Never,  probably, 
was  Scotland  so  stirred  ;  never  was  there  so  much 
expectation.  May  it  be  graciously  granted  that  the 
blessing  shall  be  even  above  all  that  we  can  ask  or 
think  ! 

"  Requests  for  the  services  of  Messrs.  Moody  and 
Sankey  are  pouring  in  from  all  quarters.  Requisi- 
tions, signed  not  only  by  ministers,  but  by  provosts, 
councilors,  and  leading  citizens,  are  received  daily 
from  towns,  large  and  small.  The  anxiety  for  a  visit 
seems  to  be  of  a  remarkably  serious  and  earnest  kind. 
It  is  not  to  gratify  curiosity,  but  to  promote  spiritual 


50  LIGHTS  IN  THE  WORLD. 

and  eternal  good,  that  their  presence  is  sought.  Even 
remote  rural  parishes  in  Scotland  are  meeting  to  pray 
for  a  blessing  on  their  labors,  and  the  belief  prevails 
that  what  is  now  going  on  in  Edinburgh  will  radiate 
over  the  country." 

The  work  now  began  to  extend  ;  Leith  was  visited. 
Seafaring  men  were  reached,  and  in  lonely  ships  at 
sea,  the  good  influence  was  extended. 

On  Sabbath,  21st  December,  at  9  a.  m.,  Mr.  Moody 
addressed  a  meeting  of  Sabbath-school  and  Bible- 
class  teachers .  in  the  Free  Assembly  Hall.  Having 
read  five  or  six  portions  of  Scripture,  to  show  that 
when  Christ  was  on  earth  He  was  the  light  of  the 
world,  and  when  He  went,  He  left  His  followers  to 
reflect  that  light,  he  spoke  at  length  of  the  duty  of 
Christians  to  do  this,  the  eyes  of  the  world  being 
upon  them.  He  then  passed  on  to  press  the  impor- 
tance of  parents  and  teachers  early  putting  the  ques- 
tion to  their  children,  "Are  you  a  Christian?"  and 
seeking  not  only  to  point  out  to  them  the  way  to  the 
Saviour,  but  to  take  them  by  the  hand  and  lead  them 
to  Him.  He  showed  that  the  work  of  Sunday-school 
teachers  among  children  would  be  most  blessed,  if 
the  teachers  first  sought  to  gain  their  confidence,  and 


THE  STUDENTS.  51 


convince  them  it  was  not  merely  from  a  sense  of  duty 
but  from  love  to  them,  that  they  sought  to  win  them 
to  Christ. 

Edinburgh  always  contains  a  great  body  of  stu- 
dents, and  a  meeting  for  them  was  held  in  the  Free 
Assembly  Hall.  So  great  was  the  eagerness  to  ob- 
tain admittance,  that  the  doors  were  besieged  by  an 
immense  crowd,  even  after  it  had  become  apparent 
that  the  hall  was  already  tilled.  To  mitigate  the  dis- 
appointment of  those  who  found  it  impossible  to  get 
into  the  hall,  Mr.  Moody,  before  he  addressed  the 
meeting  inside,  went  out  and  spoke  for  some  time  to 
the  immense  gathering  in  the  quadrangle.  While 
he  was  engaged,  Dr.  Rainy.  Mr.  AVliyte,  the  succes- 
sor of  Dr.  Candlish,  Professor  Charteris,  and  Mr. 
Sankey  conducted  service  inside.  Around  the  plat- 
form there  were  professors  from  nearly  all  the  facul- 
ties in  the  University,  and  from  the  Free  Church 
and  College,  and  nearly  two  thousand  students. 

Meantime  numerous  requests  had  been  received 
from  all  parts  of  the  country  f<»r  visits.  From  Ber- 
wick-on-Tweed,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Cairns  appeared  as  a 
deputation.  Mr.  Moody  suggested  that  deputations 
should  be  sent  out  from  Edinburgh  to  visit  the  van'- 


52  DR.  CHARLES  BROWN. 

ous  towns  from  which  the  applications  had  come,  and 
assist  in  conducting  religious  meetings.  Several 
ministers  and  laymen  stated  their  readiness  to  go. 
Dr.  Cairns  took  part  in  the  exercises  of  the  meet- 
ing. 

We  cannot  better  close  this  chapter  than  with  the 
words  of  Dr.  Charles  Brown,  one  of  the  oldest  and 
most  highly  respected  ministers  in  Edinburgh.  "  I 
have  watched,"  said  he,  u  all  the  religious  movements 
of  the  last  forty  years,  and  I  have  never  seen  any- 
thing that,  in  extent  and  depth  of  interest,  approach- 
ed to  the  present  movement.  I  have  often  prayed 
for  such  a  blessing,  and  always  longed  for  it ;  and 
though  my  prayer  had  remained  unanswered  for 
many  years,  I  am  so  enriched  with  gladness  at  the 
sights  around  me,  that  I  could  say  with  Simeon, '  Now, 
Lord,  lettest  Thou  Thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  accord- 
ing to  Thy  word,  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  Thy  salva- 
tion, which  Thou  hast  prepared  before  the  face  of  all 
people.'  " 

The  Grassmarket,  a  spacious  square  in  the  center  of 
the  old  town  of  Edinburgh,  was  the  scene  in  by-gone 
days  of  those  martyr  executions  which  stained  the 
reigns  of  Charles  the  Second  and  James  the  Second 


THE  GRASSMAREET.  53 

of  England.  On  the  south  side  of  this  square  is  the 
Corn  Exchange,  an  immense  building,  capable  of 
holding  six  thousand  persons.  In  this  place  a  meet- 
ing was  held  on  Sabbath  evening,  the  28th  Decem- 
ber, for  men  only,  admission  by  ticket.  The  immense 
hall  was  filled  with  above  five  thousand  men.  Mr. 
Moody  put  it  to  them  if  they  would  like  to  have 
another  meeting  of  the  same  kind,  in  the  same  place, 
next  evening.  Nearly  all  hands  were  raised.  Mean- 
time, in  the  Eree  Assembly  Hall,  the  general  audience 
had  been  dismissed,  and  the  inquiry  meeting  was 
going  on  in  the  center  of  the  hall,  when  the  door- 
keeper came  up  to  Dr.  Bonar,  who  was  engaged, 
along  with  others,  in  dealing  with  the  inquirers,  and 
said  that  Mr.  Moody  had  brought  up  the  whole  Grass- 
market  with  him. 

The  intelligence  was  embarrassing,  for  there  were 
too  few  to  deal  with  the  inquirers  already  in  the  hall. 
It  was  arranged,  however,  that  these  inquirers,  with 
the  friends  dealing  with  them,  should  remove  to  the 
galleries,  and  leave  the  body  of  the  hall  for  the 
u  Grassraarket."  This  was  done,  and  in  streamed 
hundreds  of  men — many  of  them  young  men — it  was 
believed   to  the  number  of  six  or   seven   hundred. 


54  WOMEN'S  MEETING. 

These  could  not  be  conversed  with  separately,  and  Mr. 
Moody  accordingly  addressed  them ;  asked  those  who 
were  anxious  to  find  Christ  to  stand  up,  when  a  great 
body  of  them  stood  up.  He  then  desired  those  of 
them  who  wished  to  give  themselves  to  Christ  to 
kneel  down,  when  they  all,  and  every  one  else  in 
every  part  of  the  hall,  knelt  down.  Over  these 
bended,  and,  may  it  not  be  added,  broken-hearted 
suppliants,  Mr.  Wilson  of  the  Barclay  Church,  and 
afterwards  Mr.  Moody,  prayed,  or  rather  led  their 
prayer  in  giving  themselvres  to  Christ.  This  must 
have  been  a  sight  for  angels  to  rejoice  in. 

These  men  would  have  remained  till  midnight,  but 
it  was  deemed  expedient  to  dismiss  them  at  half-past 
ten  o'clock.  So  the  work  went  on — on  Monday 
evening  another  meeting  in  the  Corn  Exchange,  at- 
tended by  three  thousand  persons  of  the  poorer  classes  ; 
on  Sabbath  evening  another  immense  meeting  in  the 
Corn  Exchange,  and  a  service  in  the  Free  Assembly 
Hall  for  women  only,  admission  by  ticket,  in  report- 
ing which  next  day  at  the  noon  hour  of  prayer,  Dr. 
Bonar  said,  "  that  in  all  his  life  he  never  preached  to 
such  an  audience." 

During  the  last  week  of  December  a  call  to  prayer 


CALL    TO  PRATER.  55 

was  sent  to  every  minister  in  Scotland,  suggesting  the 
week  of  prayer  from  4th  to  11th  January  as  a  favor- 
able opportunity  for  combined  action.  This  call  bore 
the  following,  among  other  honored  names : 

J.  H.  Balfour,  Professor  of  Botany ;  W.  G.  Blaikie, 
D.D.,  Professor,  New  College;  Horatius  Bonar,  D.D., 
Chalmers  Memorial  Church ;  Chas.  J.  Brown,  D.D., 
Free  New  North  Church ;  H.  Calderwood,  Professor 
of  Moral  Philosophy ;  A.  JET.  Charteris,  D.D.,  Pro- 
fessor of  Biblical  Literature  ;  Thos.  J.  Crawford, 
D.D.,  Professor  of  Divinity  in  the  University  of 
Edinburgh ;  Alexander  Duff,  D.D. ;  William  Grant, 
Bristo  Place  Baptist  Chapel ;  William  Hanna,  D.D., 
Robert  McDonald,  D.D.;  Hamilton  M.  MacGill,  D.D., 
Secretary  of  Mission  Board,  United  Presbyterian 
Church ;  James  MacGregor,  D.D.,  Professor,  New 
College ;  W.  Scott  Moncrieff,  St.  Thomas'  Episcopal 
Church  ;  Bobert  Rainy,  D.D.,  Professor,  New  College ; 
Wm.  Reid,  United  Presbyterian  Church,  Lothian 
Road ;  A.  Moody  Stuart,  Free  St.  Luke's ;  Andrew 
Thomson,  D.D.,  Broughton  Place  United  Presby- 
terian Church. 

Such  were  the  men  who  declared  that  "God's 
power  was  wonderfully  at  work,"  and  who  urged 


56  "  WATCHN1GHT  SERVICE:' 

dependence  not  on  any  human  agency,  but  on  God, 
and  earnest  crying  over  all  Scotland  for  His  blessing. 

The  last  night  of  the  year  was  observed  by  special 
service  in  the  Free  Assembly  Hall.  Mr.  Moody  an- 
nounced that  "anything  that  is  worship  will  be  in 
order,  and  when  I  am  speaking,  if  any  one  has  an  illus- 
tration to  give,  or  would  like. to  sing  a  hymn  or  offer 
prayer,  let  him  do  so."  This  gave  constant  variety 
to  the  meeting,  so  that  the  interest  never  nagged,  and 
every  one  who  stole  a  glance  at  the  clock  wondered  to 
see  how  time  passed.  Prayer  was  offered  at  intervals. 
Mr.  Moody  surpassed  himself  in  marvelous  fluency 
and  fertility  of  discourse,  as  he  reviewed  the  seven 
"I  wills"  of  Christ.  Soon  after  eleven  the  Bible 
study  ceased,  and  the  remainder  of  the  year  was  given 
to  prayer. 

The  intense  interest  and  solemnity  of  the  meeting 
increased  as  midnight  neared.  Five  minutes  before 
twelve  all  sound  was  hushed.  The  distant  shouts  of 
the  revelers  outside  could  be  heard.  Kneeling,  or 
with  bowed  heads,  the  whole  great  meeting,  with  one 
accord,  prayed  in  silence,  and  while  they  did  so  the 
city  clocks  successively  struck  the  hour.  The  hushed 
silence   continued   five  minutes  more.     Mr.  Moody 


DR.    IIORATIUS  BONAR.  57 

then  gave  out  the  last  two  verses  of  the  hymn, 
"  Jesus,  Lover  of  my  Soul,"  and  all  stood  and  sang, 
"  Thou,  0  Christ,  art  all  I  want,  more  than  all  in  Thee 
I  find,"  etc.  After  a  brief  prayer  the  benediction 
was  pronounced,  and  all  began,  like  one  family,  to 
wish  each  other  a  Happy  New  Year — "a  year  of 
grace,  a  year  of  usefulness."  There  probably  never 
was  a  New  Year  brought  in  in  Edinburgh  with  more 
solemn  gladness  and  hope  of  spiritual  good. 

The  question,  "  What  is  the  meaning  of  all  this  ?" 
was  now  being  asked  over  Scotland.  Dr.  IToratius  Bon- 
ar  replied  in  a  letter,  of  which  we  give  the  concluding 
portion,  his  name  being  a  guarantee  for  a  clear  spir- 
itual estimate  of  the  movement : 

M  I  must  say  that  I  have  not  seen  nor  heard  any 
impropriety  nor  extravagance.  I  have  heard  sound 
doctrine,  sober,  though  sometimes  fervent  and  tearful 
speech,  the  utterance  of  full  hearts  yearning  over  the 
wretched,  and  beseeching  men  to  be  reconciled  to 
God.  That  I  should  accord  with  every  statement 
and  fall  entirely  in  with  every  part  of  their  proceed- 
ing, need  not  be  expected.  Yet  I  will  say  that  I 
have  not  witnessed  anything  sensational  or  repulsive. 
During  the  spiritual  movement  which  took  place  in 


58  STRANGE  STILLNESS. 

Scotland  about  thirty  years  ago,  in  most  of  which  I 
had  part,  I  saw  more  of  what  was  extreme,  both  in 
statement  and  proceeding  than  I  have  done  of  late. 
There  was  far  more  of  excitement  then  than  there  is 
now.  The  former  movements  depended  far  more 
upon  vehement  appeals,  and  were  carried  along  more 
by  the  sympathetic  current  of  human  feeling  than  the 
present.  When  the  present  movement  began,  I 
feared  lest  there  should  be  a  repetition  of  some  of  the 
scenes  which  I  had  witnessed  in  other  days,  and  I 
did  not  hesitate  to  express  my  fear  to  brethren.  My 
fears  have  not  been  realized.  I  have  been  as  regular 
in  my  attendance  at  the  meetings  as  I  could,  and 
though  I  will  not  say  that  there  was  nothing  which  I 
might  not  have  wished  different,  yet  I  have  been 
struck  with  the  exceeding  calmness  at  all  times — the 
absence  of  excitement — the  peaceful  solemnity  per- 
vading these  immense  gatherings  of  two  or  three 
thousand  people,  day  by  day — the  strange  stillness 
that  at  times  so  overawed  us ;  and  I  felt  greatly  re- 
lieve.d  at  the  absence  of  those  audible  manifestations 
of  feeling  common  in  former  days.  Rowland  Hill 
was  once  asked  the  question,  '  When  do  you  intend  to 
stop  ? '     '  Not  till  we  have  carried  all  before  us.'     So 


LATENT  ENERGIES. 


say  our  brethren  from  Chicago.  We  say  Amen. 
This  needy  world  says  Amen.  Human  wickedness 
and  evil  say  Amen.  Heaven  and  earth  say  Amen. 
The  work  is  great  and  the  time  is  short.  But  the 
strength  is  not  of  man  but  of  God.'' 

The  "  "Week  of  Prayer  "  had  been  emphasized  by 
the  call  to  Scotland,  and  at  the  meeting  on  Friday, 
2d  January,  the  Assembly  Hall  was  filled  to  over- 
flowing— passages,  doorways,  and  platform  all  crowd- 
ed. The  feature  of  the  meeting  was  a  series  of  di- 
rections for  conducting  prayer-meetings  given  by  Mr. 
Moody.  He  began  by  saying  that  there  was  proba- 
bly more  talent  in  Scotland  than  in  any  other  place 
of  the  same  size,  but  it  was  in  a  great  measure  buried 
talent.  He  did  not  refer  to  the  ministers  so  much  as 
to  the  people,  who  did  not  draw  out  their  talents  for 
the  good  of  the  Church.  This  was  an  important 
matter.  If  he  drew  out  the  energies  of  ten  men,  and 
got  them  to  work,  it  was  much  better  than  doing  ten 
men's  work  himself.  Hence  the  importance  of  some 
of  the  rules  he  was  about  to  give  them.  Such  as 
that  the  people  must  sit  close  together,  for  if  scat- 
tered, the  meeting  would  be  cold  and  disjointed. 
The  hall  or  room  must  be  well  ventilated,  heated. 


60  THE  PRAYER-MEETING. 

and  lighted ;  they  should  have  good  singing ;  when 
a  meeting  was  special,  the  prayers  and  remarks 
ought  to  be  special ;  requests  and  thanksgivings 
should  be  brought  before  the  meeting;  the  leader 
must  take  no  further  part  in  the  meeting  than  to  give 
the  key-note ;  the  subject  should  be  known  before- 
hand, that  the  people's  thoughts  may  be  directed 
to  it ;  not  to  scold  the  people  who  had  come  because 
others  had  kept  away ;  if  discouraged  not  to  let  the 
people  see  it;  variety  should  be  given  to  the  meet- 
ings ;  no  formal  address  ;  the  meetings  short  and  the 
people  sent  away  hungry,  but  not  weary,  else  they 
would  not  come  back ;  they  should  avoid  discussions, 
and  put  down  discussion  among  the  audience ;  leave 
the  meeting  open  a  part  of  the  time,  and  be  invari- 
ably punctual.  Under  such  sensible  regulations  the 
meetings  proceeded  with  the  deepest  interest,  and 
crowds  so  great  that  on  at  least  one  occasion  the 
prayer-meeting  overflowed  into  the  corners  of  the 
quadrangle  of  the  Free  Church  College. 

Take  a  specimen  of  a  single  meeting.  Lord  Cavan 
said  he  had  been  particularly  struck  by  the  num- 
ber of  requests  made  on  the  previous  day  for  prayer. 
He  himself  met  with  eight  or  nine  young  men,  and 


THE  INQUIRY  MEETING.  61 

he  humbly  believed  that  by  the  grace  of  God  they 
were  all  drawn  to  Him,  and  sealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  promise.  Rev.  Mr.  Grant,  of  Tain,  thanked  God  for 
the  effect  which  even  the  reports  of  this  movement 
had  had  in  communities  far  distant  from  Edinburgh. 
The  Eev.  Mr.  Wilson  (Tolbooth  Church)  said  the 
meetings  in  his  church  had  grown  in  interest  as  the 
week  of  prayer  wore  on.  He  thought  it  would  be 
well  for  the  ministers  to  open  their  vestries  for  in- 
quirers after  each  of  the  ordinary  services  in  their 
churches.  They  had  hesitated  in  his  church,  but  the 
people  had  taken  it  into  their  own  hands,  and  at  the 
close  of  the  services  in  the  Tolbooth,  on  Sabbath, 
several  persons  had  come  to  his  vestry  inquiring  the 
way  to  salvation.  He  thought  the  previous  day  the 
most  remarkable  in  the  historv  of  Edinburgh.  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Talon  (Episcopal)  said  he  had  never  been 
present  at  such  refreshing  meetings.  Xew  life  had 
been  given  to  him  by  them,  the  days  of  youth  had 
been  renewed,  and,  to  the  glory  of  Christ,  he  had  to 
say  that  for  twenty  years  he  had  not  preached  with 
the  fullness  and  freeness  he  did  on  Sunday,  and  he 
did  not  believe  that  there  had  been  seen  in  his  preach- 
ing such  effects  as  were  produced  on  Sunday.     Rev. 


62  NOT  EXCITEMENT. 

Mr.  Wemyss  (Congregational  Church)  spoke  of  many 
hopeful  cases  in  his  district. 

"Some  said,"  remarked  Mr.  Moody,  "of  these 
meetings  that  they  merely  influenced  people  by  ex- 
citing them  and  working  on  their  feelings  till  they 
became  anxious.  Now,  he  had  never  said  less  than 
he  had  spoken  at  the  previous  night's  meeting,  and 
at  that  of  Sunday  night,  and  yet  there  was  a  perfect 
host  of  inquirers  on  those  occasions.  He  had  asked 
those  who  wished  to  see  him  to  retire  with  him  to  a 
private  room,  intending,  wdien  he  had  spoken  to 
them,  to  come  into  the  hall  and  invite  out  more ;  but 
this  he  did  not  need  to  do,  for  more  than  one  hundred 
inquirers  came  forward  spontaneously.  He  had  to  close 
the  door  on  about  fifty,  being  unable  to  see  them.  A 
great  many  who  had  not  been  at  the  meetings  at  all 
had  had  conviction  brought  home  to  their  hearts,  God 
having  answered  the  prayers  of  others  on  their  behalf. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Robertson,  of  JSTewington,  stated 
some  facts  in  regard  to  the  special  services  held  by 
Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  in  his  church  during  last 
week.  He  shrank  from  premature  announcement  of 
results,  but  it  was  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  Lord 
had  been  working  with  these  evangelists.     In  New- 


POWER  JTOT  FORM.  63 

ingtoD  the  indifferent  were  being  awakened,  the 
undecided  brought  to  a  blessed  decision,  and  the 
tempest-tossed  carried  into  a  haven  of  rest.  lie  did 
not  speak  of  the  inquiry  meetings  merely,  or  of  the 
number  who  had  gone  into  them,  but  he  spoke  of 
many  coining  and  calling  upon  him  and  others  pri- 
vately afterwards,  or  waiting  for  them  at  the  corners 
of  streets,  and  asking  to  be  helped  out  of  their  diffi- 
culties, or  to  be  confirmed  and  strengthened  in  their 
faith.  He  could  tell,  too,  of  many  Christians  being 
stirred  to  newness  of  life  and  exertion.  What  had 
struck  him  very  much  was,  that  many  who  had 
been  taken  up  with  an  empty  profession  had  been 
seeing  the  great  gulf  between  the  mere  form  of  god- 
liness and  its  living  power.  There  had  been  old  men 
on  the  brink  of  the  grave  coming  and  receiving  sal- 
vation as  a  little  child,  and  there  had  been  not  a  few 
little  children,  both  boys  and  girls,  perhaps  chiefly 
boys,  who.  were  seeking  rest,  and  not  able  to  get  it 
until  they  had  found  it  in  the  Saviour;  and  then 
going  away  rejoicing,  having  found  the  pearl  of  great 
price. 

The    Eev.  J.  M'Ewan  (Canongate  Free   Church) 
said  that  they,  "  the  ministers,  were,  with  a  few  of 


64  THE   CONVENTION. 

the  laymen,  so  much  occupied  by  the  converts  that 
came  in,  that  they  had  not  an  opportunity  of  taking 
impressions  of  what  was  going  on  ;  but  the  mis- 
sionaries in  the  district,  who  were  in  the  habit  of 
meeting  and  talking  with  the  people,  told  him  that 
there  was  a  striking  impression  made  upon  the  popu- 
lation. They  were  to  meet  to-day,  to  see  what  could 
be  done  in  the  way  of  following  up  the  blessing." 

So  the  week  of  prayer  closed  on  Sabbath,  the  11th 
January.  A  week,  the  like  of  which,  according  to 
the  testimony  of  the  wisest  and  most  sober  of  its 
Christian  citizens,  never  before  passed  in  Edinburgh. 

A  Convention  on  Wednesday,  the  14th  January,  in 
the  Free  Assembly  Hall,  fittingly  followed.  Mr. 
Moody  presided. 

Ministers  and  others  from  all  parts  of  the  country 
were  present,  for  the  purpose  of  consulting  together 
and  obtaining  the  advantage  of  the  experience  of  the 
two  American  brethren,  in  regard  to  the  best  methods 
of  conducting  various  departments  of  Christian  work. 
The  hall  was  greatly  crowded,  and  so  eager  were 
those  outside  to  obtain  an  entrance,  that  it  was  found 
necessary  to  lock  the  quadrangle  gate.  Dr.  Bonar 
struck   the   key-note  of  the  conference,  in  a  short 


FIXAL  MEETINGS.  65 

address  on  personal  effort,  and  was  followed  by  rep- 
resentative men  from  various  parts  of  the  country, 
lay,  clerical,  legal,  military,  and  literary.  The  meet- 
ins;  continued  with  unflacrvins:  interest  from  eleven 
o'clock  in  the  forenoon  till  nearly  four  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon.  Several  of  the  ministers  present  stated 
that  already  they  were  conducting  their  prayer  meet- 
ings on  the  model  of  those  held  in  the  Free  Assembly 
Hall. 

Before  the  separation  of  the  Convention,  Mr. 
Moody  asked  the  prayers  of  the  assembly  for  Ber- 
wick-on-Tweed,  amongst  other  towns  in  •  Scotland. 
He  shortly  described  the  meeting  held  there,  and 
stated  his  belief  that  an  important  spiritual  movement 
had  been  commenced  in  that  town.  He  believed  that 
God  was  going  to  give  a  great  blessing  to  Scotland,  if 
they  were  ready  to  receive  it.  The  meeting  was  then 
closed  with  praise  and  the  pronouncing  of  the  bene- 
diction. 

The  evangelists'  last  meeting  was  at  the  usual 
union  prayer-meeting  in  the  Free  Church  Assembly 
Hall,  and  a  conference  with  ministers  and  elders  in 
the  Free  Assembly  Hall  in  the  afternoon,  on  the  sub- 
ject of  the  duties  of  the  eldership ;  and  a  union  prayer- 


66  BEE  WICK-  UPON-TWEED. 

meeting  in  the  evening.  Mr.  Moody  stated  that  he 
had  received  many  letters  from  young  converts,  and  a 
great  many  had  come  to  see  him  with  the  question — 
What  can  I  do  for  Christ  ?  It  was  a  sure  sign  of  con- 
version to  be  anxious  to  work  for  the  Master.  This 
disposition  should  be  encouraged  and  cultivated.  Mr. 
Moody  went  on  to  urge  upon  young  Christians  not  to 
neglect  their  work  at  home,  but  to  adorn  the  doctrine 
of  Jesus  Christ.  He  prayed,  as  he  left  them,  that  the 
young  converts  might  stand  firm,  that  God  might 
keep  them  from  the  world. 

And  so  the  brethren  left  the  city  of  Edinburgh  on 
"Wednesday,  the  21st  January,  and  proceeded  to 
Dundee,  the  next  scene  of  their  arduous  evangelistic 
labors,  in  which  were  spent  two  busy  and  most  use- 
ful weeks,  with  the  same  results  as  in  Edinburgh. 

Meantime  a  flying  visit  had  been  made  to  Berwick- 
upon-Tweed  for  a  single  day.  Professor  Cairns  thus 
describes  the  result : 

"I  feel  constrained  to  add  my  testimony  to  the 
profound  impression  which  has,  by  the  blessing  of 
God,  been  made  on  the  town.  I  cannot  attempt  to 
describe  the  appearance  of  Wallace  Green.  Church  at 
the  evening   meeting  on  Tuesday,  when   the   over- 


REV.  DR.  CAIRNS.  67 

whelming  meeting'  in  the  Corn  Exchange  was  dis- 
missed, and  those  who  gathered  for  prayer,  with  the 
anxious  inquirers,  crowded  in  to  fill  up  every  corner 
of  the  spacious  church.  The  shadow  of  eternity 
seemed  cast  over  the  great  congregation.  Many 
were  observed  to  be  in  tears;  and  as  the  inquirers, 
with  hurried  and  trembling  step,  passed  into  the 
vestry  (though  others  found  a  more  private  entrance), 
the  deepest  awe  and  sympathy  pervaded  the  meeting. 
This  continued  for  a  full  hour,  and  such  a  gathering  I 
hardly  ever  expect  again  to  see  in  this  world.  It  is 
believed  that  nearly  fifty  in  all  wrere  conversed  with 
in  the  Corn  Exchange,  in  the  afternoon,  and  in  the 
church  in  the  evening.  Last  night  (Wednesday)  a 
considerable  addition  was  made  to  this  number,  after 
the  addresses  of  Mr.  Leitch,  of  Newcastle,  and  Mr. 
Chedburn  of  this  town.  I  would  close  by  earnestly 
commending  to  all  brethren  in  the  ministry  a 
movement  which,  so  far  as  I  know  it,  is  so  full  of 
blessing,  and  so  remarkably  free  from  irregularity,  or 
counteracting  elements  of  any  kind." 


68  THE  PRESS. 


GLASGOW. 

Glasgow  is  too  near  to  Edinburgh  to  remain 
unaffected  by  any  movement  that  is  felt  in  the 
capital.  Desire  and  expectation  were  strong  in  this 
great  commercial  center.  It  teems  with  working 
people,  shrewd,  keen,  but  in  too  many  instances  in- 
temperate, careless,  and  ignorant  of  the  way  of  life, 
and  this  around  very  admirable  and  effective  churches 
and  ministers. 

Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  began  their  work  in  the 
City  Hall,  by  addressing  and  leading  in  sacred  song  a 
crowded  meeting  of  three  thousand  Sabbath-school 
teachers,  and  other  religious  workers,  at  nine  o'clock 
on  Sunday,  February  8th.  The  meeting  in  the 
evening  of  that  day  in  the  City  Hall  was  densely 
crowded,  and  the  overflow  filled  many  of  the  neigh- 
boring churches.  The  entire  daily  press  of  Glasgow 
next  morning  gave  favorable  notices  of  the  meetings. 

Said  the  Glasgow  Herald :  "  Mr.  Sankey  has  a  good 
voice,  and  the  words  of  the  hymns  are  enunciated  with 
great  distinctness.  Mr.  Moody's  manner  is  abrupt  and 
hurried ;  but  though  his  style  is  perhaps  more  forcible 
than  pathetic,  the  anecdotes  he  tells  illustrative  of  the 
plan  of  redemption  are  often  touching  and  effective.  He 


THE  YOUNG  MEN.  69 

speaks  as  a  man  fully  assured  of  his  own  salvation, 
and  who  wishes  others  to  enter  on  the  immediate  pos- 
session of  like  confidence — by  laying  hold  of  the 
promises  of  acceptance  and  eternal  life  insured  to 
all  who  place  their  reliance  on  the  atonement  of 
Christ." 

The  noon  prayer-meeting,  held  in  the  Wellington 
Street  U.  P.  Church,  was  quite  crowded,  and  on 
Monday,  9th,  there  was  a  large  meeting  at  noon,  and 
about  two  thousand  persons  heard  the  gospel  in  the 
Barony  and  Free  Barony  Churches  in  the  evening. 
Wellington  Street  U.  P.  Church  was  filled  to 
over-flowing  next  day.  Mr.  Moody  in  a  short  ad- 
dress on  the  9th  of  Daniel,  struck  the  key-note : 
"  what  was  wanted  was  power  from  on  high." 
He  had  been  told  that  there  were  in  Glasgow 
seventy  thousand  young  men  between  the  ages 
of  fifteen  and  twenty-five.  When  he  heard  it, 
his  heart  sank  within  him,  and  he  said,  "  Who  is 
sufficient  for  these  things  ? "  Then  he  thought  of 
this  prayer  of  Daniel,  and  considered  if  fathers  and 
mothers  and  God's  people  would  unite  in  prayer  on 
behalf  of  these  young  men,  how  easy  it  would  be  for 
God  to  turn  their  hearts.     Daniel  sought  to  be  heard 


TO  "ALL  HAVE  SINNED." 

"  for  the  Lord's  sake."  Mr.  Moody  said  that  before 
he  was  converted  he  did  not  understand  what  was 
meant  by  praying  "  for  Jesus'  sake."  He  never 
prayed  for  Jesus'  sake,  but  for  his  own  sake. 

The  meeting  was  thrown  open,  and,  among  others, 
Dr.  A.  A.  Bonar  urged  to  expectant  faith  :  "  Can 
the  arm  of  God,  which  shook  Egypt,  not  shake  Glas- 
gow? Will  that  arm  which  divided  the  Red  Sea 
not  do  wonders  here  ?  Is  the  power  of  the  cross  van- 
ished ?  Is  the  merit  of  the  sacrifice  gone  ?  Is  there  no 
more  room,  or  is  the  great  Substitute  weary  of  taking 
the  sinner's  place  ?  We  are  a  little  company,  but  the 
Spirit  of  the  times  of  Pentecost  is  still  among  us.  Let 
us  pray,  and  never  doubt,  and  the  arm  of  the  Lord 
will  still  be  seen  mighty  to  save." 

Incidents  made  their  own  impression.  In  the 
the  Barony  Established  Church  the  previous  evening, 
while  Mr.  Moody  was  speaking,  a  deeply  solemn  feel- 
ing prevailed.  Inquirers  were  asked  to  retire  into  the 
vestry,  but  all  seemed  disposed  to  follow  Mr.  Moody 
to  the  Free  Barony  Church.  In  a  short  time  the 
house  was  empty,  with  the  exception  of  one  young 
man,  who  stood  leaning  against  the  door  of  one  of  the 
pews,  in  deep  distress.     Mr.  Topping  and  a  friend 


MEETIXG  FOR  MEN, 


approached  and  spoke  to  him.  Mr.  Moody's  remarks 
on  Bom.  iii.  23,  "  all  have  sinned,''  had  impressed  him. 
J I  is  distress  was  great.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Topping  and 
a  friend  explained  to  him  the  grace  of  the  Lamb  of 
God,  and  he  left  professing  to  see  the  way  of  salva- 
tion. The  ministers  having  entered  into  the  work  in 
concert,  no  difficulty  was  experienced  in  procuring 
suitable  buildings  in  Glasgow. 

The  meetings  moved  from  church  to  church :  able 
-tance  was  derived  from  the  local  clergy,  the  Earl 
of  Cavan,  the  missionaries  of  the  city,  and  admirable 
elders  who  entered  into  the  conferences  with  great 
earnestness.  A  spectator,  writing  to  a  friend  in  Lon- 
don, gives  the  impression  made  by  the  evening  meet- 
ings  after  a  week's  labors.  "  The  evening  meetings 
in  the  Established  and  Free  Barony  Churches  have 
been  most  solemn,  every  night  this  week  crammed  to 
overflowing,  and  such  a  number  always  staying  be- 
hind to  be  spoken  with.  Thursday  night  at  half  past 
eight,  in  the  City  Hall,  was  a  meeting  only  for  men. 
You  never  saw  such  a  sight ;  and  Messrs.  Moody  and 
Sun key  say  it  is  the  best  they  have  had  in  this  coun- 
try. A  great  many  stayed,  and  Mr.  Moody  jumped 
down  amongst  them  off  the  platform.  In  a  moment  he 


72  REPORTED  PROGRESS. 

was  surrounded  by  a  whole  set  of  rough  fellows. 
One  seized  his  hand,  and  those  who  could  not  get 
near  bent  their  ears  to  try  to  catch  his  words.  It  was 
most  affecting ;  and  a  great  work  was  done,  I  believe, 
as  thanks  were  given  at  the  noon  meeting  yesterday 
for  answers  to  prayer  for  that  meeting." 

The  noon-day  prayer-meeting  here  also  became  a 
power.  The  laborers  came  together  to  pray,  caught 
the  common  spirit,  and  diffused  information.  In 
illustration  of  the  state  of  feeling  the  Rev.  Mr.  Rid- 
dall  remarked  that  in  the  midst  of  a  contested  elec- 
tion two  of  the  largest  churches  in  the  city  were  filled 
with  people  daily.  Mr.  J.  Campbell  White  read  a 
letter  from  Sabbath-school  teachers  in  Dundee.  It 
stated  that  at  the  close  of  the  usual  Sabbath  School 
service  a  meeting  for  prayer  was  held.  It  was  at- 
tended by  upwards  of  two  hundred  boys  and  girls, 
nearly  every  one  of  whom  was  bathed  in  tears,  and 
upwards  of  seventy  were  completely  broken  down, 
sobbing  as  if  their  hearts  would  break.  The  Rev. 
Mr.  M'Murtrie,  Edinburgh,  reported  regarding  the 
progress  of  the  work  in  that  city,  stating  that  there 
was  no  going  back  there,  and  that  the  meetings  were 
as  largely  attended  as  ever.     A  gentleman  rea<f  a  let- 


VARIOUS  CLASSES. 


ter  from  a  village  near  Perth,  showing  the  awakening 
that  was  taking  place  there.  So  the  movement  was 
diffusing  itself  over  the  surrounding  towns  and 
villages. 

It  was  decided  to  address  the  young  directly. 
The  meeting  on  Saturday,  Feb.  14,  was  for  children, 
of  whom  there  was  a  large  gathering,  accompanied 
by  their  parents  or  friends,  the  place  being  crowded 
in  every  part,  while  Ewing  Place  Congregational 
Church  was  also  well  filled  with  an  audience  of 
adults.  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  went  first  to 
the  "Wellington  Street  Church,  and  then  to  the 
other.  Mr.  Moody  addressed  the  children  on  the 
subject  of  faith,  impressing  on  them  how  God  hon- 
ored faith,  and  granted  the  desires  of  those  who  had 
confidence  in  Him,  illustrating  this  principally  by  the 
case  of  the  little  maid  who  waited  on  the  wife  of  the 
Syrian  captain,  who  was  cured  of  his  leprosy.  Sab- 
bath-school teachers  had  their  meeting,  and  Mr. 
Moody  gave  an  address  for  the  purpose  of  stimulat- 
ing them  and  encouraging  them  in  their  work.  A 
meeting  for  women  only  was  held,  Mr.  Moody  taking 
for  his  theme  the  freeness  of  the  Gospel  message,  en- 
forcing and  illustrating  his  subject  with  characteristic 
4 


74  GENERAL  IMPRESSIONS. 

energy  and  point.  Mr.  Sankey  also  gave  a  short  ad- 
dress in  the  afternooon.  In  the  evening  meeting, 
which  was  for  men  only,  Mr.  Mood}'  delivered  an 
address  on  the  same  subject  as  that  chosen  in  the 
afternoon.  At  each  of  the  meetings  Mr.  Sankey 
sang  several  solos,  accompanying  himself  on  the 
harmonium. 

But  instead  of  a  detailed  account  of  the  meetings, 
let  a  general  view  of  the  work  be  given,  as  it  struck 
intelligent  observers  on  the  spot,  when  about  three 
weeks  had  been  spent  by  the  evangelists  in  Glasgow. 
Thus  writes  the  editor  of  the  British  Evangelist, 
early  in  March : 

"  The  meetings  here  go  on  with  ever-increasing  spir- 
itual momentum  and  ever-widening  usefulness.  The 
noon  meetings  and  Bible  lectures  have  been  very 
profitable  to  believers.  In  John  Street  United  Pres- 
byterian Church  very  large  numbers  have  remained 
for  conversation  ;  and  in  Ewing  Place  Chapel,  which 
has  been  nightly  crowded  with  young  men,  most  in- 
teresting inquiry  meetings  have  afterwards  been 
held,  sometimes  extending  beyond  eleven  o'clock. 

"  In  the  City  Hall,  on  Sabbath  morning,  the  meet- 
ing was  for  young  men,  specially  got   up  by  the 


MR.  BRO  WNLO  W  NORTH.  To 

Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  In  the  after- 
noon, at  live  o'clock,  and  in  the  evening,  crowded 
meetings  were  held  in  the  same  place.  About  ten 
thousand  would  hear  in  that  one  place  the  gospel  of 
their  salvation ;  and  hundreds  were  impressed  with 
the  importance  of  being  saved. 

"  As  the  Monday  meetings  are  mainly  for  the  pur- 
pose of  reporting  progress,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Taylor 
(Kelvinside  Free  Church)  wished  to  tell  that  the 
Lord  was  granting  His  Spirit  not  only  in  the  Eastern 
and  Central  districts  of  Glasgow,  but  in  the  Western 
district,  where  he  lived  and  labored.  On  Sunday, 
special  services  had  been  commenced  in  his  church ; 
and  the  blessing  which  was  being  enjoyed  in  other 
parts  of  the  city  was  attending  the  work  in  Hillhead. 
These  services,  following  on  weeks  of  united  prayer 
meetings  in  the  district,  were  conducted  chiefly  by 
Mr.  Brownlow  North. 

"  Rev.  Dr.  Wallace  said  he  should  never  forget 
the  meeting  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion in  the  City  Hall  on  Sunday  morning.  It  was 
the  most  wonderful  meeting  he  had  ever  witnessed  ; 
the  hall  crowded  from  floor  to  ceiling,  a  sea  of  anxious 
faces  !     It  was   also   most   delightful,  as  he   looked 


BIBLES  PRIZED. 


along  his  own  congregation,  to  see  here  and  there 
young  men  who  had  been  amongst  those  one  hundred 
and  one  who  had  come  forward  in  Ewing  Place  Chapel 
last  Tuesday  evening,  and  confessed  Christ  publicly. 
Had  he  been  told  a  few  weeks  ago  what  was  to  take 
place  in  the  city  during  the  last  week  as  to  the  young 
men,  he  feared  he  could  scarcely  have  believed  it 
possible.  He  had  been  in  warehouses  where  he  had 
seen  young  men  take  out  their  pocket  Bibles  from 
their  pockets  and  say,  c  Sir,  this  is  my  book  for  the 
time.'  And  with  what  delight  he  had  seen  passages 
pencilled  and  leaves  folded  down !  This  spirit  was 
pervading  all  classes  of  the  community.  He  could 
give  many  particular  instances  ;  but  there  were  some 
who  had  felt  the  influence,  who  trembled  under  deep 
emotion,  but  who,  grasping  his  hand,  had  said, '  Let  us 
keep  in  the  background  yet,  till  we  see  if  it  be  real.' 
"  The  Rev.  Mr.  Howie  (Govan),  told  how,  on  Sun- 
day night,  and  during  the  week,  he  had  spoken  to  a 
number  of  young  men,  some  of  them  merchants,  some 
students  of  divinity,  and  some  students  of  medicine. 
If  this  work  went  on,  he  could  not  tell  what  might 
be  the  influence  in  the  future  of  the  history  of  our 
great  city. 


"YOUNG  CONVERTS."  77 

M  It  was  reported  that  in  a  house  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  Saltmarket,  a  prayer  meeting  was  held 
by  a  number  of  mothers  who  could  not  attend  the 
public  meetings.  They  prayed  for  the  conversion  of 
the  locality. 

"  Mr.  Moody  declared  that  one  minister  was  worth 
a  hundred  laymen,  because  of  his  influence  in  the  pul- 
pit. He  announced  that  it  had  been  resolved  to  hold  a 
meeting  next  Wednesday  in  Mr.  Stewart's  church 
for  fathers,  on  Thursday  for  mothers,  and  on  Friday 
for  sisters.  Through  the  efforts  of  the  latter,  it  might 
be  possible  to  reach  the  girls  in  the  city  warehouses. 
The  meeting  of  fathers  in  Edinburgh  had  been  sig- 
nally blessed,  and  lie  anticipated  a  like  result  for  all 
the  meetings  in  Glasgow." 

How  the  awakened  were  dealt  with  may  be  seen 
from  the  following  from  the  same  paper : 

"About  two  hundred  young  converts  met  Mr. 
Moody,  and  about  seventy  (chiefly  youths  and  maid- 
ens) testified  before  each  other  that  they  had  been 
converted  to  God.  At  the  same  time  about  two 
hundred  inquirers  assembled  in  the  rooms  below  to 
to  be  conversed  with,  and  many  of  them  passed  into 
the  joyful  liberty  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.     We  sat 


78  CHRIST  CONFESSED. 

beside  four  (two  of  them  being  from  Paisley),  and 
three  of  the  four  went  away  rejoicing,  but  the  fourth 
wTas  held  back  by  her  trouble  about  a  dead  husband 
and  a  hard  heart ;  and  when  nearly  at  the  edge  of 
decision,  stood  back  a  dozen  times.  We  then  went 
to  the  young  men's  meeting  at  Ewing  Place,  and 
as  we  entered  were  struck  with  the  impressive 
sight  of  a  thousand  young  men,  the  great  majority 
of  whom  were  evidently  on  the  Lord's  side.  After 
prayer  and  a  brief  address  from  a  young  man,  Mr. 
Moody,  who  had  just  come  from  the  other  meeting, 
spoke  a  little  about  confessing  Christ.  This  young 
men's  meeting  has  been  going  on  for  a  fortnight, 
with  meetings  for  inquirers  at  its  close,  and  night 
after  night  many  young  men  have  been  brought  to 
Christ." 

How  the  young  men  were  dealt  with  may  be 
learned  from  a  statement  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Riddel, 
who,  speaking  of  the  meeting  held  the  previous  even- 
ing, said  that,  of  the  twenty-three  young  men  who 
entered  the  inquiry-room  with  him,  only  one  seemed 
to  go  away  with  a  cloud  of  darkness  resting  on  his 
spirit.  There  are  young  men  coming  in  numbers  to 
the  Lord.     If  we  are  faithful,  the  Lord  will  own  it. 


wobkixg.  79 


A  young  man  was  sent  to  me  from  the  country  with 
a  certificate  of  church  membership.  I  said,  "  That  is 
all  right  so  far  as  the  visible  church  is  concerned,  but 
what  about  connection  with  the  Lord  Jesus.  Are  you 
united  to  Him?"  "2so,  sir,  I  am  not;  that  question 
was  never  put  to  me.  I  have  often  felt  I  had  no 
right  to  be  at  the  Lord's  Table,  but  did  not  see  how 
I  could  stay  back,  for  I  was  a  Sabbath-school  teacher." 
The  Lord  opened  his  eyes  to  see  that  it  was  all  done 
for  him  in  Jesus — he  came  and  said,  "  Salvation  is 
mine  now." 

The  manner  in  which  the  hymn  is  introduced  is 
well  illustrated  in  this  meeting.  Mr.  Sankey  said, 
u  Xow  is  the  time  for  vjorking.  I  saw  on  a  tomb- 
stone at  Stirling  yesterday  this  word  deeply  carved 
in  the  stone — tWadimg^  There  will  be  time  for 
waiting  by  and  by,  but  now  is  the  time  for  working." 
He  then  sang — 

Hark,  the  voice  of  Jesus  crying 

Who  will  go  and  work  to-day  ? 
Fields  are  white,  and  harvest  waiting, 

Who  will  bear  the  sheaves  away  ? 
Loud  and  long  the  Master  calleth, 

Rich  reward  lie  offers  thee  ; 
Who  will  answer,  gladly  saying, 

Here  am  I,  ,-end  me,  send  me1' 


80  PRA  VERS  AND  PRAISES. 

"Why,"  said  Dr.  "Wallace,  "just  now  everybody 
seems  anxious  to  be  spoken  to.  People  look  at  you 
on  the  street  with  anxiety  depicted  on  their  counte- 
nances. The  other  afternoon,  coming  down  from  the 
services  in  the  College  Church,  a  young  man  looked 
at  me  with  so  much  anxiety  apparent  in  his  face,  that 
I  spoke  to  him.  I  found  the  young  man,  who  was  a 
student,  in  a  state  of  distress  about  his  soul ;  and  I 
spoke  some  comforting  words  to  him,  for  which  he 
seemed  very  grateful.  Many,  many  more  than  we 
think,  are  waiting  to  be  spoken  to.  What  Sir  Gar- 
net Wolseley  said  to  his  officers  when  attacked  in  the 
bush  near  Coomassie,  when  they  could  not  see  the 
enemy,  was  applicable  to  every  man  in  Glasgow  at 
the  present  time — 'You  have  your  orders — advance, 
and  let  every  man  do  what  he  can.'  '  She  hath  done 
what  she  could.' " 

So  young  men  were  appealed  to  in  the  crowded 
city,  and  the  Lord  gave  the  blessing.  No  wonder 
that  gratitude  mingled  with  penitent  cries,  and  that 
praises  went  up  with  prayers. 

"  There  is  something  far  better  than  gold.  God 
thinks  so  little  of  gold,  that,  in  the  New  Jerusalem,  it 
is  used  for  paving  the  streets,"  said  Mr.  Moody,  "and 


THAXKSGIVIXGS.  81 

every  Christian  man  will  understand  it.  Even  the 
joy  of  winning  souls,  and  of  seeing  souls  won  to 
Christ,  is  better  joy  than  the  world's  best." 

The  "  thanksgivings "  at  the  various  meetings  are 
worthy  of  notice.  The  leper  who  has  been  blessed 
must  return  to  give  glory  to  God.  Here  is  an  aver- 
age sample  of  those  sent  in  to  the  Daily  Prayer- 
ineetino: — 

"  Thanksgiving  asked  for  the  conversion  of  a  young 
gentleman,  brought  to  the  Lord  on  a  visit  to  Glasgow. 
He  is  now  rejoicing  in  the  Lord,  and  has  written 
home  to  tell  the  good  news ;  for  a  young  man  led  out 
of  difficulty  in  answer  to  prayer ;  a  sister's  thanks  for 
the  conversion  of  a  brother ;  for  large  blessing  on 
Broughton  ;  for  a  wonderful  blessing  on  the  work  at 
Musselburgh ;  for  the  conversion  of  a  daughter ;  for 
the  return  of  a  prodigal,  in  answer  to  prayer;  for 
good  received  at  meetings  in  London ;  for  the  con- 
version of  a  Sabbath  class  ;  for  the  conversion  of  three 
girls,  who,  since  the  first  Week  of  Prayer,  have  given 
themselves  to  the  Lord ;  for  two  souls  brought  to  the 
Lord,  one  of  them  a  sister  long  prayed  for;  for  a 
young  woman  in  Dundee,  often  prayed  for  as  bor- 
dering on  despair,  but  now  trusting  in  Jesus ;  for  a 
4* 


82  THE  MINISTERS. 


mother  prayed  for  last  Tuesday  as  desirous  of  coming 
to  Christ,  who  believes  that  now  she  has  closed  with 
Him ;  for  a  sister  prayed  for  at  these  meetings,  who 
is  now  happy  in  Jesus ;  for  prayer  answered  in  the 
reconciliation  of  a  family  professing  to  be  Christians ; 
from  one  who  found  Jesus  last  night  in  the  College 
Church ;  a  minister  desires  praise  for  a  recent  awaken- 
ing in  his  congregation." 

Help  came  from  brethren,  such  as  Mr.  George 
Wilson,  of  the  Tolbooth  Church,  Edinburgh;  Mr. 
Maclaren,  from  Manchester,  and  Mr.  Arnot,  from 
Edinburgh.  At  the  daily  prayer-meeting,  it  became 
an  every-day  thing  to  see  the  pulpit,  the  pulpit- stairs, 
and  the  three  front  seats,  filled  with  ministers  from 
town  and  country.  There  were  a  hundred  ministers 
oftentimes,  and  Mr.  Moody  took  the  utmost  pains  to 
avail  himself  of  their  co-operation,  in  view  of  the 
vast  influence  they  exert  on  their  people  when  they 
are  themselves  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  Whitefield 
used  to  say,  in  regard  to  this,  that  "  every  minister's 
name  was  Legion ." 

An  eye  was  being  kept,  all  this  time,  on  the  places 
in  England  that  had  been  visited.  Men  in  whom  the 
churches  have  confidence  reported.     The  Rev.  Dr. 


YOUXG  COMMUNICANTS  83 

Cairns,  for  example,  at  the  Noon-meeting,  at  which 
he  presided,  said : 

"  I  have  been  requested  to  say  a  few  words  about 
the  awakening  which,  by  God's  grace,  has  lately  taken 
place  in  Berwick-on-T  weed,,  the  town  where  I  have 
so  long  labored  as  a  minister.  I  am  happy  to  state 
that  this  work  continues  and  is  bearing  fruit  unto 
holiness,  of  which  the  end  shall  be  eternal  life.  There 
are,  in  all  the  Churches  of  Christ  there,  movements, 
awakenings  more  or  less,  prayer-meetings,  in  addition 
to  the  noon-day  prayer-meetings ;  and  tokens  of  in- 
terest are  not  wanting,  as,  for  example,  in  the  com- 
ing forward  of  young  persons  who  have  been  awak- 
ened to  seek  admission  to  the  Communion  of  the 
Church.  It  was  only  the  other  day  that  I  intimated 
the  Communion,  and  already  as  many  persons  have 
come  forward  seeking  admission  to  the  Table  as  I 
have  admitted  almost  at  any  time  in  the  course  of  my 
ministry ;  and  I  doubt  not  that  the  number,  before 
the  Sacrament  season  comes  round,  will  be  very  con- 
siderably increased.  This  is  what  we  desire  and  hope 
for.  Oh,  how  delightful  it  is  to  speak  to  these  young 
persons!  There  is  not  that  difficulty  in  obtaining 
answers  to  the  questions  that  we  propose ;  there  is 


81  MUTUAL  HELP. 


not  that  reserve  and  reluctance  on  speaking  of  per- 
sonal religion  and  Christian  experience  that  ministers 
at  such  a  time  so  often  have  to  lament.  In  other 
words,  there  is  evidence  that  this  work  of  God  is 
deep  and  genuine  in  that  place.  "We  have  now  ceased 
to  hold  evening  meetings  in  our  Corn  Exchange,  which 
holds  about  fifteen  hundred  people.  "We  met  there 
for  more  than  twenty  days  in  succession,  and  each  day 
it  was  crowded.  We  have  ceased  to  hold  these  spe- 
cial meetings,  but  only  to  direct  our  energies  into  the 
districts  where  the  population  is  composed  of  fisher- 
men and  other  classes  who  could  not  conveniently 
attend  the  town  meetings.  Last  week  I  spoke  at  five 
district  meetings  on  successive  evenings,  and  other 
brethren  who  have  entered  heartily  into  this  work 
have  been  doing  the  same.  There  have  been  some 
inquirers  at  these  meetings,  although  not  quite  so 
numerous  as  at  the  beginning  in  Berwick-on-Tweed ; 
but  we  trust  that  good  will  be  done  in  this  way." 

The  reproducing  and  self-extending  power  of  deep 
religious  feeling  found  many  illustrations  in  Glasgow. 
Every  night  at  nine  o'clock  the  young  men  met, 
and  the  work  among  them  made  steady  progress, 
Mr.   Moody  coming   in,  as   usual,  near  the  close  of 


"  WISHING  TO  BE  SA  VED."  85 

the  hour,  and  making  some  remarks  on  the  impor- 
tance of  "  confessing  Christ  with  the  mouth.  Through 
neglect  of  this,  many  are  left  in  something  like 
darkness,  and  have  little  joy.  We  ought  to  speak  for 
Christ ;  at  the  same  time  we  must  beware  of  spiritual 
pride.  Heart  utterances  are  what  we  want,  not  flow- 
ing eloquence.  Whenever  the  devil  whispers  '  That 
was  a  good  address,'  you  are  in  danger." 

After  a  hymn,  for  example,  an  opportunity  is  given 
to  those  recently  brought  to  Christ  to  tell  "  how 
great  things  the  Lord  had  done  for  them,  and 
how  He  had  compassion  on  them."  A  young  man 
begins  by  saying,  u  I  was  one  of  the  one  hun- 
dred and  one."  He  meant  by  this  expression  to 
refer  to  the  memorable  Tuesday  night,  when  a 
breathing  of  the  Holy  Spirit  passed  through  the  assem- 
bly, and  one  hundred  and  one  young  men  came  to 
the  front  seats,  asking  to  be  prayed  for  and  guided 
into  the  truth.  The  speaker  added,  "I  had  been 
wishing  to  be  saved  for  many  years.  When  those 
who  were  sure  that  they  were  Christians  were  asked 
to  stand  up,  I  felt  that  I  could  not  honestly  do  so, 
though  I  was  a  member  of  the  Church,  a  Sabbath- 
school  teacher,  and  was  one  of  ten  who  had  sent  in  a 


86  DIRECT  APPEAL. 


request  for  our  warehouse,  for  prayer  on  our  behalf. 
I  kept  my  seat.  Mr.  Moody  then  asked  all  that  were 
Christians  to  leave  the  three  front  pews.  I  occupied 
one  of  these,  and  when  the  others  went  out  I  kept  my 
place.  Thinking  that  I  had,  perhaps,  misunderstood 
him,  Mr.  Moody  kindly  said  to  me,  '  Are  you  not  a 
Christian?'  I  said,  'I  am  not.'  But  that  very 
night  I  found  Christ." 

A  young  student  next  spoke  :  "  I  also  was  one  of 
the  one  hundred  and  one  of  that  night.  Though 
taking  part  in  Christian  work,  I  felt  my  need  of  what 
I  had  not  found.  That  night,  at  the  meeting  for  con- 
versation, five  of  the  young  men  in  succession  spoke  to 
me ;  and  each,  unknown  to  the  other,  quoted  to  me 
John  v.  24,  '  Yerily,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  He  that 
heareth  my  word,  and  believeth  on  Him  that  sent 
Me,  hath  everlasting  life."  I  was  at  length  enabled 
to  apprehend  the  truth,  and  I  now  thank  the  Lord  for 
saving  me,  and  pray  that  all  here  may  be  brought  to 
Christ." 

Another  spoke  :  "  I  had  been  seeking  Christ  a  long 
time.  That  night,  when  I  was  going  away  without 
relief,  Mr.  Moody  crane  up,  and  took  me  kindly  by 
the  hand.     He  looked  at  me — I  might  say  he  put  his 


SCOTTISH  RETICENCE.  87 

two  eyes  right  through  mine — and  asked  me  if  I 
would  take  Christ  now.  I  could  not  speak,  but  my 
heart  said,  Yes." 

One  very  intelligent  young  man  told  briefly,  but 
very  clearly,  what  his  state  had  been  till  he  was 
awakened,  ami  how  miserable  he  had  been,  not  able 
to  see  that  salvation  was  for  him.  Getting  a  ray  of 
light,  he  went  home,  read  John  iii.  36,  "  He  that  be- 
lieve th  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life,"  and  sought 
on  his  knees  to  be  led  to  the  truth.  "  And,"  he 
added,  "  God  heard  me.  I  believed  then  ;  I  believe 
now ;  I  am  a  ransomed  soul."  Scottish  youth  are 
not  at  all  demonstrative  in  regard  to  their  feelings  ; 
it  is  not  usual  for  them  to  tell  out  what  is  passing  in 
their  hearts  on  the  subject  of  their  state  towards  God  ; 
until  they  have  faith,  they  are  slow  to  speak  about 
their  feelings. 

The  Eev.  A.  A.  Bonar,  an  honored  Christian  minis- 
ter in  Scotland,  who  describes  these  incidents,  adds : 
"  I  am  writing  to  you  about  Glasgow  specially ;  but 
you  may  like  to  get  notice  about  God's  work  in  less 
known  localities.  Requests  for  prayer  come  to  hand 
from  all  quarters — e.  g.,  one  came  to  me,  asking  my 
congregation  to  pray  for  a  work  of  God  in  the  district 


88  THE  BREATH  OF  LIFE. 

of  John  O'Groat's  house  ;  and  another  from  Christian 
friends  who  live  near  Cape  Wrath.  Preaching  on 
Wednesday  at  Auchterarder,  I  found  unmistakable 
traces  of  God's  goings  in  that  quarter;  and  passing  on 
in  the  evening  to  Dollar,  found  an  assembly  of  above 
one  thousand  souls,  eager  to  hear  the  word ;  and  at 
the  close,  beside  others,  about  fifty  of  the  boys  and 
young  of  the  Dollar  Institute  waited  for  conversation 
and  inquiry.  At  the  Stirling  noon-day  prayer-meet- 
ing, next  day,  there  was  a  large  attendance.  There 
have  been  not  a  few  awakened  there  of  late,  and  the 
interest  is  deepening.  The  ministers  of  all  denomina- 
tions take  part  most  cordially.  There,  too,  I  heard 
of  work  going  on  not  only  in  such  places  as  Alva  and 
Dunfermline,  but  in  obscure  parishes.  Souls  are  com- 
ing from  great  distances  to  ask  the  way  of  life  at  the 
lips  of  those  who  can  tell  it,  and  these  souls  awakened 
to  this  concern  by  no  direct  means,  but  evidently  by 
the  Holy  Spirit  who  is  breathing  over  the  land.  It  is 
such  a  time  as  we  have  never  had  in  Scotland  before. 
The  same  old  gospel  is  preached  to  all  men  as 
aforetime,  Christ  who  was  made  sin  for  us,  Christ  the 
Substitute,  Christ's  blood,  Christ's  righteousness, 
Christ  crucified,  the  power  of  God,  and  the  wisdom 


JOY  OF  HARVEST.  89 

of  God  unto  salvation  ;  but  now  the  gospel  is  preached 
i%  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven." 
And  amid  all  this  the  enemy  is  restrained,  so  that  we 
are  solemnly  reminded  of  Rev.  vii.  1-3,  the  time  be- 
fore the  coming  of  the  Lord,  when  the  four  angels  are 
charged  to  let  no  storm  burst,  not  to  allow  the  wind 
even  to  ruffle  the  sea's  smooth  surface  or  move  a  leaf 
of  any  tree,  till  the  seal  of  the  living  God  has  been  put 
on  his  elect.  Is  not  this  sealing  going  on  daily  among 
us  ?  Are  not  the  four  angels  looking  on  ?  Surely  it 
is  time  to  seek  the  Lord,  that  He  may  rain  righteous- 
ness upon  us." 

Is  it  strange  that  a  thrilling  interest  marked  meet- 
ings replete  with  incidents  like  the  following  ? 

Thanks  were  given  for  a  person  who  had  been 
blessed  while  the  hymn  u  Jesus  of  Xazareth  passeth 
by,"  was  being  sung ;  and  several  other  cases  were 
reported  in  which  the  same  hymn  had  been  blessed. 
A  Christian  working-man  said,  that  "  in  the  bnilding- 
yard  where  he  worked,  this  week  there  had  been  two 
boys  and  three  men  brought  to  Christ."  "  I  give 
thanks  for  six,"  was  on  a  paper  handed  in  at  the  prayer- 
meeting  ;  while  a  disciple,  who  had  for  many  years 
been     pleading    for   the     conversion    of    near    and 


90  THE  WORD  PRECIOUS. 

dear  relatives,  asked  the  meeting  to  join  him  in 
thanksgiving  for  a  daughter  saved,  a  nephew  and 
several  nieces.  A  letter  said :  "  We  cannot  leave 
Glasgow  without  telling  you  that  the  brother  whom 
we  told  you  of  as  having  come  here  to  attend  the 
meetings,  left  for  London  this  evening,  we  firmly  be- 
lieve, resting  in  Jesus." 

A  lady  asked  prayer  for  her  own  conversion,  stat- 
ing, "  I  have  come  from  Switzerland  on  purpose  to  be 
present  at  the  meetings.  I  have  been  well  brought 
up,  but  am  not  a  Christian.' ' 

A  person  about  twenty  miles  out  of  town  wrote : 
"  Dear  sir,  would  you  kindly  forward  four  tickets  to 
admit  to  the  morning  meeting,  on  Sabbath  first,  to 
the  City  Hall.  I  have  never  had  the  pleasure  of  being 
present  at  any  of  these  precious  meetings  that  have 
been  held  in  Glasgow,  though  a  constant  reader  of  the 
reports  given  in  the  various  newspapers  ;  but  I  will  be 
in  Glasgow  on  Sabbath  first,  along  with  three  friends. 
Going  in  the  spirit  of  anxious  inquirers,  we  pray  God 
that  it  may  be  our  blessed  privilege  to  come  home  hav- 
ing found  that  Christ  is  indeed  precious  to  each  of  us." 

Another  day,  at  noon,  four  young  men  from  a 
mining  district  in  Ayrshire  were  found  waiting  at  the 


AFRAID  TO  SPEAK.  91 

close  of  the  meeting  to  speak  to  Mr.  Moody,  if  possi- 
ble. He  had  gone  out ;  but  they  sat  down  in  the 
inquiry-room  with  one  of  the  ministers  who  was  still 
there.  "  Are  you  all  of  one  mind  ?  Are  you  all  in 
Christ  ?  "  was  the  question  put  to  them.  u  Three  of 
us  are  Christ's,  but  our  friend  here  (pointing  to  the 
fourth)  is  not."  The  minister  entered  into  conversa- 
tion with  the  unsaved  but  anxious  one,  and  found  out 
his  state  of  mind.  He  showed  him  that  Christ  was 
offering  to  be  his  substitute,  and  to  appear  in  the 
presence  of  God  for  him,  and  asked,  "  Will  you  be- 
lieve in  Him  as  He  so  offers  Himself  to  you  ? "  In  a 
moment  the  lad's  countenance  changed,  and  half 
springing  from  his  seat,  he  struck  the  Bible  with  his 
hand,  exclaiming,  "  I  see  it  all ! "  The  scale  had 
fallen  from  his  eyes,  and  he,  with  his  three  friends,  who 
had  been  to  him  like  the  friends  of  the  palsied  man, 
left  the  room  to  return  home  by  the  train,  rejoicing. 
One  other  case.  A  young  man  attracted  Mr.  Moody's 
attention  at  an  inquiry -meeting,  an  intelligent  young 
man,  who  had  long  been  anxious.  Mr.  Moody 
discovered  that  one  thing  had  hindered  his  full 
decision,  viz.,  want  of  courage  to  tell  his  wife  all  that 
was  passing   through   his   mind.     But  last   Sabbath 


92  WITH  ONE  ACCORD. 

afternoon  lie  was  enabled  to  go  home  and  frankly  tell 
all  lie  felt.  It  turned  out  that  she  too  was  in  deep  anx- 
iety, only  waiting  to  have  the  ice  broken.  The  result 
has  been  complete  deliverance  of  soul  to  that  young 
man,  who  is  able  now  to  help  others  in  the  way. 

From  the  Signs  of  the  Ti?nes,  in  which  careful  ac- 
counts of  the  awakening  appeared  from  week  to 
week,  we  extract  the  programme  of  meetings  for  the 
week  March  23-30,  from  a  glance  at  which  an  idea 
may  be  obtained  of  the  energy  with  which  the  work 
was  carried  forward : 

"  Young  Men's  Meetings  (Special  Week). 

"East  U.  P.  Church,  Partick,  8  p.  m.  (Mr.  Sankey 
present),  on  Tuesday  and  Thursday. 

"  Ewing  Place  Congregational  Church,  8:30  p.  m. 
(Mr.  Sankey  present),  on  Tuesday  and  Thursday. 

"  Eglinton  Street  Congregational  Church,  8  p.  m. 
(Mr.  Sankey  present),  Wednesday  and  Friday. 

"  Sydney  Place  U.  P.  Church,  8:30  p.  m.  (Mr. 
Sankey  present),  Wednesday  and  Friday. 

u  Free  St.  Mary's,  Govan,  6:30  p.  m.  (Mr.  Sankey 
present) ;  Eglinton  Street  U.  P.  Church,  8  p.m.; 
Burnbank  U.  P.  Church,  7  p.  m.  ;  London  Koad  U.  P. 
Church,  7:30  p.  m. 


OF  "GRACE."  93 


"Mr.  Moody  will  address  men  who  desire  to 
become  Christians  in  East  Campbell  Street  IT.  P. 
Church  (Eev.  Dr.  Wallace's),  on  Tuesday,  Wednesday, 
Thursday,  and  Friday  eveniugs.   Admission  by  ticket. 

'•Afternoon  Bible  Lectures  by  Mr.  Moody  on 
"Wednesday,  Thursday,  and  Friday,  25th,  26th,  and 
27th,  in  Pollok  Street  Church." 

The  attention  of  the  Christian  people  had  now 
been  fairly  aroused.  Mr.  Spurgeon,  with  a  view  to 
Glasgow,  preached  a  sermon  to  young  men  which  was 
instantly  put  into  circulation,  and  at  the  same  time 
gave  a  cordial  invitation  to  the  Evangelists  to  his 
Tabernacle  in  London.  Of  this  sermon  25,000  copies 
were  promptly  distributed  in  Glasgow. 

Some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  Scriptural  style  of 
address  employed  in  these  meetings  from  the  following 
concise  abstract  of  Mr.  Moody's  address  in  St.  Silas' 
Episcopal  Church,  on  Tuesday,  March  17,  on  "  Grace." 
The  church  is  seated  for  one  thousand,  but  with 
forms  and  filling  up  of  the  side  aisles,  there  would 
be  thirteen  hundred  present.  After  Mr.  Sankey  had 
led  u  Come,  Thou  Fount  "  with  the  choir,  the  Incum- 
bent, Dr.  Hutton,  engaged  in  prayer.  The  passages 
of  Scripture  on  which  Mr.  Moody  founded  his  dis- 


94  GRACE  AND  LAW. 

course  were  John  i.  14-17 ;  Rom.  v.  15 ;  1  Cor. 
i.  3,  4 ;  1  Peter  v.  10,  and  others.  He  began  by 
showing  grace  to  be  a  free  gift.  "  People,"  he  said, 
"  are  trying  to  work  for  it ;  if  you  work  for  it  you 
are  not  in  a  position  to  receive  it.  Don't  attempt  to 
add  anything  to  the  finished  work  of  Christ."  Mr. 
Moody  went  on  to  show  the  contrast  between  law  and 
grace  by  reading  Deuteronomy  xxi.  18-21.  The  law 
says  "  Stone  him,  smite  him ; "  Christ  says,  "  Kiss 
him,  forgive  him."  The  law  says,  "  Take  shoes  off  ;" 
the  father  to  the  prodigal  says,  "Put  them  on." 
Three  thousand  lost  life  in  one  day  at  the  giving  of 
the  law,  and  three  thousand  found  it  in  one  day  at 
Pentecost.  Moses,  the  lawgiver,  turned  water  into 
blood  ;  Christ,  water  into  wine.  He  concluded  by 
showing  that  the  Christian  must  not  be  satisfied  with 
the  gift  of  grace  once,  but  seek  for  more  grace  daily. 
"  God  is  able  to  make  all  grace  to  abound." 

Mr.  Sankey  sang  very  touchingly,  "  Christ  hath  re- 
deemed us  once  for  all," — a  hymn  which  has  already 
been  the  means  of  bringing  peace  to  souls  where  it 
has  been  sung.  At  the  end  of  the  meeting  he  sang 
his  hymn  on  grace,  entitled,  "  More  to  follow." 
Eev.  Mr.  Howie,  Free  Church,  Govan,  concluded 


CANNOT  BUT  SPEAK.  05 

with  a  most  fervent  prayer  which  seemed  to  carry 
the  hearts  of  all  present.  Dr.  Wallace  (Established 
Church)  pronounced  the  benediction. 

As  a  rule  the  results  were  the  largest  and  the  most 
promising  where  prayer  had  gone  before,  and  in- 
struction was  well  sustained.  Take  one  case  in  illus- 
tration :  Mr.  Howie's  church,  where  every  Sunday,  for 
two  months  or  so,  the  pastor  had  an  after-meeting,  every 
one  of  which  has  been  marked  with  results  which  will 
be  recorded  in  the  annals  of  eternity.  So  the  way  was 
well  prepared  for  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  to  com- 
mence their  labors.  There,  as  elsewhere,  they  have 
the  same  old  story  of  their  work,  churches  and  halls 
crowded  to  overflowing  day  after  day  and  night  after 
night :  many  coming,  as  can  be  seen,  out  of  sheer  curi- 
osity: but  with  more  than  one  of  such  the  Lord  has  gra- 
ciously met  in  an  unexpected  hour  and  manner  like. 
A  young  lady  of  talent  and  education  was  thus  unex- 
pectedly met  by  the  Lord  in  November  in  Edin- 
burgh. Immediately  on  her  conversion  she  began  to 
testify  for  God.  The  result  is,  that  she  lost  her  situ- 
ation as  a  governess  in  a  family  of  station.  "But  I 
do  not  mind  that,"  she  said  ;  "  how  could  I  help 
speaking  to  the  little  ones  of  Jesus  ?  " 


96  «  BLESSINGS  DIFFUSED." 

In  this  district  Eev.  Mr.  Howie  reported  that  "  the 
number  of  applications  for  tickets  for  the  meetings 
to  be  held  there  was  quite  overwhelming,  and  they 
had  to  make  selections  in  the  distribution.  When 
Christians  applied  for  them  they  received  them  only 
on  the  condition  that  they  would  give  them  to  un- 
converted people." 

There  is  a  certain  degree  of  uniformity  in  the 
methods  of  operation  and  in  the  results,  after  the  at- 
tention of  the  community  in  Glasgow  had  been  thor- 
oughly aroused ;  no  good  purpose,  therefore,  is 
served  by  reciting  the  details  of  meetings,  and  numbers 
in  attendance,  and  at  the  inquiry-meetings.  It  was 
felt  that  the  inquirers  should  be  visited  and  followed 
with  instruction,  by  their  own  chosen  ministers. 
We  are  not,  therefore,  susprised  to  find  that  Dr. 
Jeffrey,  minister  of  London  Road  Church,  sent,  after 
meetings  in  his  church ,*  upwards  of  eighty  letters  to 
ministers  of  all  denominations  in  the  city  telling 
the  names  of  anxious  inquirers  in  their  congregations, 
"that  the  fruits  of  awakening  may  not  be  lost." 

Other  places  had,  besides,  been  indirectly  and  in- 
cidentally benefited.  Bible  readings  in  the  south 
side  of  the  city,  had  been  greatly  blessed,  especially 


WISE  PRECA  UTIOXS.  97 

to  the  richer  portion  of  the  community.  Let  the 
reports  of  the  Rev.  Andrew  A.  Bonar,  D.  D.,  give 
an  idea  of  the  diligence  and  activity  of  the  Christian 
laborers,  and  the  degree  of  blessing  vouchsafed.  We 
necessarily  abbreviate : 

"  The  work  goes  on.  The  Lord  Jesus,  sitting  at 
the  right  hand  of  God,  is  '  confirming  the  word  by 
signs  following.'  We  hear  of  conversions  corning 
under  the  notice  of  workers  for  the  Lord  in  all  parts 
of  the  town.  At  the  close  of  the  evening  meetings 
in  John  Street  United  Presbyterian  Church  and  the 
"Wesley an  Methodist  Church,  the  number  of  inquirers 
was  large ;  but  so  well  was  all  arranged  for  convers- 
ing with  them,  that  though  there  must  have  been 
above  a  hundred  at  one  time,  yet  all  was  order  and 
stillness,  the  different  workers  in  separate  seats,  and 
some  in  separate  rooms,  dealing  with  the  anxious. 
Xo  idlers  were  permitted  to  look  on,  and  there  was  time 
for  helping  individuals  to  get  at  a  clear  understand- 
ing of  their  own  difficulties  and  hindrances,  which  in 
many  cases  is  the  main  thing  needed,  in  order  to  their 
right  apprehension  of  the  Gospel." 

The  manner  in  which  divine  truth  came  to  human 
souls,  is  illustrated  in  such  incidents  as  the  following: 


98       THE  WARRANT  OF  THE  WORD. 

A  young  lady  remarked  to  a  minister  one  night, 
"  I  understand  everything  that  is  said  and  done.  I 
believe  all  that  you  can  tell  me.  You  cannot  tel]  me 
anything  but  what  I  believe,  and  yet  I  don't  feel  it." 

"  But  God  has  said,  believe  and  be  saved,  not  feel 
and  be  saved." 

"  But  I  do  not  realize  it,  and  do  not  feel  it  at  all." 

"But  it  is  upon  the  testimony  of  God  that  you 
must  take  it.  God's  word  is  true,  whether  you  feel 
it  or  do  not  feel  it." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  I  am  just  to  rest  on  that, 
without  feeling  it  ? " 

"  I  do  not  say  so.     It  is  God  that  says  so." 

"  Then  it  is  upon  God's  testimony  that,  believing, 
I  am  to  conclude  that  1  am  saved  ? " 

' '  Certainly ;  just  because  God  says  it." 

"  I  think  I  see  it  now.  It  is  just  upon  God's  testi- 
mony. I  see  it  now."  And  as  she  rose  she  said,  "  1 
see  it  now.     Tlie  burden  is  all  awayP 

"What  has  taken  it  away?" 

"  The  testimony  of  God  concerning  His  Son." 

"  What  makes  you  so  sure  ? " 

"  That  which  is  written  in  this  Book,"  she  said, 
holding  up  her  Bible  as  she  left  the  room. 


BBST  IN  CHRIST.  99 


A  lady  found  a  girl  in  whom  she  was  interested 
deeply  anxious.  She  brought  her  to  the  hall  when 
she  could  get  no  peace,  and  there,  in  the  corridor,  was 
Mr.  Sankey,  speaking  to  eight  or  nine  gathered 
round  him.  He  was  dwelling  upon  "He  that  be- 
lieveth  hath  everlasting  life"  dwelling  specially 
upon  the  word  "hath."  The  young  woman  listened 
intently,  and  at  last  grasped  it,  saying,  "  I  have  got 
it.  That  word  'hath'  has  done  it  all."  And  she 
went  away  rejoicing  in  Christ. 

Another  was  asked  if  she  could  not  take  her  stand 
upon  that  word,  "  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly,"  and 
went  away  unable  to  sleep  that  night  for  joy. 

Many  times  has  the  simple  question,  "Are  you 
saved  8 "  been  greatly  blessed.  One  invalid,  who,  in 
her  sick  room,  had  heard  of  conversions  but  could  not 
understand  what  it  meant,  was  asked  the  kind  ques- 
tion, "Are  you  a  child  of  God  ? "  which  planted  a 
fresh  thorn  in  her  pillow.  She  could  not  rest,  but 
tossed  in  agony  till,  early  in  the  morning,  the  words 
came  into  her  mind,  "  Come  unto  Me,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest,"  and  she  rested  there. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that,  even  from  the  very  first, 
the  blessing  was  in  any  way  limited  to  the  sphere  of 


100  TM  UE  REVIVAL. 


Mr.  Moody's  personal  influence.  Meetings  were 
thronged  to  hear  the  ordinary  preaching  of  the  word. 
A  Gospel  sermon  could  hardly  be  preached  without 
great  results.  All  Christian  workers,  and  specially 
faithful  ministers,  found  their  work  doubled  in  the 
most  blessed  way.  In  their  places  surrounding  the 
chair  each  day  at  noon ;  scattered  here  and  there  at 
evangelistic  meetings  every  evening ;  called  on  con- 
tinually to  speak  to  inquirers, — one  felt  that,  unless 
special  strength  were  given,  they  could  not  meet  the 
demands  on  them. 

We  have  said  little  yet  of  the  work  among  Chris- 
tians, yet  perhaps  to  Him  who  searches  hearts,  this 
part  of  the  revival  looks  as  stupendous  as  the  other. 
It  has  not  been  uncommon  to  find  backsliding  Chris- 
tians sitting  among  the  anxious,  weeping  more  bit- 
terly than  all ; — not  for  a  soul  lost,  but  for  a  Saviour 
dishonored ;  asking  if  they  might  still  hope  that  the 
grieved  Spirit  would  return,  and  that  their  lost  peace 
and  first  love  might  be  restored.  To  many  who  have 
for  years  been  believers,  it  seems  as  if  the  fullness  of 
Christ  has  opened  up  a  mine  of  untold  riches,  which 
they  never  dreamt  of.  Those  who  lived  on  the 
border  line,  so  that  neither  they   nor  their  friends 


MASTERS  AND  MEN.  101 

could  tell  clearly  what  they  were,  have  stepped  boldly 
out  ou  to  the  Lord's  ground,  and  many  who  passed 
for  Christians,  both  with  themselves  and  others,  have 
exchanged  a  false  hope  for  a  true  one. 

Employers  showed  a  lively  interest  in  the  men 
whom  they  employed.     Take  an  illustration. 

On  March  30th  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  were 
present  at  the  daily  prayer-meeting  in  the  ship-build- 
ing yard  of  Alex.  Stephen  and  Sons,  Linthouse,  Glas- 
gow. There  was  a  large  attendance  of  the  working- 
men,  the  numbers  being  variously  estimated  from 
one  thousand  five  hundred  to  two  thousand,  and  all 
the  partners  of  the  firm  were  also  present.  All  lis- 
tened with  eager  interest  as  Mr.  Sankey  opened  the 
meeting  by  singing  "Jesus  of  Xazareth  passeth  by." 
Rev.  Robert  Howie  led  the  prayers  of  the  meeting; 
and  another  solo,  singularly  appropriate,  "  The  Life- 
boat," was  sung  by  Mr.  Sankey.  Mr.  Moody  then 
delivered  a  most  solemn  and  stirring  address  from  the 
words — "I  bring  you  glad  tidings  of  great  joy;"  and 
there  seemed  to  be  a  deep  impression  produced.  At 
the  close  he  expressed  the  delight  he  experienced  in 
addressing  such  an  interesting  audience,  and  inti- 
mated  that  arrangements   would   be   made   by   the 


102  "SCATTERED  VILLAGES." 

Central  Evangelistic  Committee  for  sending  similar 
aid  from  time  to  time  to  those  seeking  thus  to  honor 
the  Saviour,  and  obtain  blessings  for  themselves  and 
others.  Mr.  Stephen,  speaking  in  the  name  of  both 
employers  and  employees,  expressed  thanks  to  Messrs. 
Moody  and  Sankey  for  their  kindness  in  thus  com- 
plying with  the  request  sent  to  them  last  week,  and 
exhorted  all  present  to  show  their  gratitude  by  ac- 
cepting of  Christ. 

The  outlying  villages  around  Glasgow  began  to 
feel  the  influence  of  the  word,  and  communications 
from  a  distance  stimulated  the  laborers. 

Mr.  Edgar,  of  the  "Reformed  Presbyterian  Church, 
Landressy  street,  told  of  nearly  a  hundred  inquirers 
in  connection  with  Mr.  Moody's  meeting  there. 

Mr.  William  Sloan,  as  one  of  a  deputation  sent  to 
Belfast,  detailed  interesting  facts  regarding  a  remark- 
able meeting  there,  at  the  close  of  which  five  hundred 
young  men  waited  for  prayer. 

The  Women's  meetings  in  Free  Cunningham 
Church,  and  the  Mill-girls'  in  Mr.  McMunn's  Church, 
Great  Hamilton  street  (conducted  by  ladies),  were 
very  remarkable  for  the  number  who  remained  to  be 
conversed  with  every  evening,  and  of  these  one  and 


QUIET  SOLEMNITY.  103 

another  have  come  "  out  of  darkness  into  marvelous 
light." 

There  was  no  excitement  at  any  of  these  gatherings ; 
there  was  quiet,  calm  solemnity.  Strange,  indeed, 
this  absence  of  excitement  in  such  assemblies,  con- 
sidering the  great  and  undeniable  results;  but  all  the 
more  did  it  hereby  prove  itself  to  be  the  work  of  the 
Spirit,  who  comes  into  the  soul  as  the  quiet  breath  of 
life.  The  meetings  every  evening  from  Monday, 
March  29th,  in  Wellington  Palace,  a  new  hall  in 
Commercial  road,  which  accommodates  about  two 
thousand  or  two  thousand  five  hundred  persons,  were 
thronged  to  the  door  by  an  audience  drawn  from 
the  south-east  part  of  the  city.  Even  on  nights 
when  Mr.  Moody  was  not  there,  there  was  quite  a 
crowded  attendance,  and  ministers  of  all  denominations 
were  present.  Each  night  not  fewer  than  a  hundred 
inquirers  waited.  Nor  was  it  otherwise  at  the  Town- 
head  Established  Church,  where  the  minister,  Mr. 
Turnbnll,  had  thrown  himself  into  the  work  with  all 
his  heart. 

Referring  to  another  part  of  the  city  and  another 
class,  Dr.  Elder  Cnmming,  of  Sandyford  Established 
Church,  declared  that  he  had  never  -known  anything 


104  THE  OLD   GOSPEL. 

like  this  movement  during  the  twenty  years  of  his 
ministry.  He  was  able  to  reckon  up  something  like 
forty  cases  of  people  converted  to  the  Lord  during 
the  last  two  months,  some  of  them  among  the  poor 
and  some  of  them  in  the  higher  ranks  of  society,  but 
both  classes  alike  rejoicing  in  the  treasure  they  had 
found.  A  minister  from  the  country,  Mr.  McAulay, 
of  the  Free  Church,  Old  Kilpatrick,  said  on  the  same 
occasion  "  that  he  had  watched  the  meetings  from  the 
view-point  of  a  conservative  theology,  and  rejoiced  to 
discover  that  nothing  was  proclaimed  but  the  old 
truth — man  lost,  and  Christ  all-sufficient  to  save." 

The  Bible-readings  on  the  south  side  of  the  river, 
in  the  Congregationalist  Chapel,  Eglinton  street  (Mr. 
David  Russell's),  continued  to  be  thronged  to  the 
door. 

In  the  county  of  Aberdeen,  at  Kennethmont,  Roth- 
iemay,  Eew  Marnoch,  there  was  a  shaking  among 
the  dry  bones,  and  at  Drum  blade  a  great  number 
had  been  remarkably  awakened.  "  Scores  of  anxious 
souls,"  says  one,  "  were  there,  ministers,  elders,  and 
others  directing  them  to  Jesus.  I  was  never  made 
so  happy  as  one  night  when  I  found  faces  suffused 
with  tears,  looking  into  my  face,  and  crying — 'O 


FAST-BAY  WEEK,  105 

how  shall  I,  how  can  I,  be  saved  ? '  "  At  Pitcaple,  in 
another  part  of  the  county,  the  awakening  was  every 
way  as  remarkable. 

During  what  is  called  Fast-day  week  in  Glasgow, 
when  religious  persons  are  engaged  in  the  services 
connected  with  the  communion,  and  the  irreligious 
take  a  holiday,  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  left  the 
city  for  a  few  days,  and  visited  Helensburgh,  Paisley, 
and  Greenock. 

The  ground  was  already  prepared,  and  many  were 
looking  forward  to  their  visit  with  the  highest  ex- 
pectations. A  general  stir  in  the  community,  crowds 
occupying  the  places  of  meeting  long  before  the  hours 
advertised,  eager  and  hushed  audiences  completely 
swayed  by  the  speaking  and  singing,  the  deepest 
solemnity  in  the  thronged  inquiry-rooms — these  were 
the  features  everywhere.  Cordiality  and  unanimity 
prevailed  among  the  ministers  of  the  Gospel  and 
Christians  of  different  denominations. 

At  Helensburgh  the  first  meeting  was  held  in  the 
TTest  Free  Church  at  half-past  three  o'clock.  An 
hour  and  a  half  before  the  time  announced  the  church 
was  filled  to  overflowing,  and  by  the  time  the  service 
commenced  the  passages  and  every  available  space 
5* 


106  PAISLEY. 


were  occupied.  Mr.  Moody  delivered  his  lecture  on 
"  The  Blood,"  and  Mr.  Sankey  sang  several  hymns. 
The  crowd  was  equally  great  in  the  evening  in 
the  United  Presbyterian  Church.  The  subject  was 
"  The  Gospel."  After  the  first  meeting  believers  and 
inquirers  were  asked  to  remain,  when  about  six  or 
seven  hundred  occupied  the  whole  body  of  the 
church.  Mr.  Moody  addressed  the  anxious,  showing 
that  simple  trust  alone  was  needed.  He  then  invited 
those  who  wished  to  be  spoken  with  individually  to 
retire  into  the  session-house.  About  fifty  went.  It 
was  a  most  solemn  meeting,  many  being  in  the 
deepest  distress. 

Paisley  and  Greenock  were  visited;  a  Sabbath 
being  given  to  the  latter  important  place. 

The  Rev.  A.  Henderson,  United  Presbyterian  min- 
ister, gives  the  following  account  of  the  work  in 
Paisley : 

"  During  the  week  of  prayer  in  the  beginning  of 
the  year  we  had  a  series  of  daily  meetings  in  Free  St. 
George's  Church,  which  were  attended  by  numbers 
that  steadily  increased  till  the  close.  A  deep  impres- 
sion was  produced,  and  earnest  desires  were  expressed 
that  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  might  visit  the  town. 


THE  FIELD  PREPARED.  107 

"  Shortly  after  the  close  of  the  week  of  prayer  a 
meeting  of  ministers  of  various  denominations  was 
called  in  the  usual  way,  by  circular  signed  by  the 
senior  minister  of  the  town.  Almost  all  denomina- 
tions were  represented  at  the  meeting,  and  it  was 
unanimously  agreed  to  send  a  requisition  to  Messrs. 
Moody  and  Sankey,  asking  them  to  visit  Paisley. 
This  requisition  was  signed  by  more  than  two-thirds 
of  the  evangelical  ministers  of  the  town.  It  was 
agreed  at  the  same  time  that  a  daily  prayer-meeting 
should  be  commenced.  That  meeting  has  been  regu- 
larly held  since  the  end  of  February  in  Oakshaw 
United  Presbyterian  Church.  United  evangelistic 
meetings  have  been  also  held  on  Monday  and  Thurs- 
day evenings.  These  meetings  have  occasionally  been 
addressed  by  those  who  had  taken  a  part  in  the  move- 
ment in  Edinburgh  and  Glasgow.  After  some  of 
these  meetings  a  few  inquirers  remained  to  be  con- 
versed with,  and  some  were  brought  to  peace  in  be- 
lieving. 

"  On  Wednesday  of  this  week,  Mr.  Moody  came 
among  us.  The  mid-day  prayer-meeting  held  in  Mr. 
France's  church  was  crowded.  Long  before  the  hour 
announced,  the  Abbey  was  filled  to  hear  one  of  his 


106  PAISLEY. 


were  occupied.  Mr.  Moody  delivered,  his  lecture  on 
"  The  Blood,"  and  Mr.  Sankey  sang  several  hymns. 
The  crowd  was  equally  great  in  the  evening  in 
the  United  Presbyterian  Church.  The  subject  was 
"  The  Gospel."  After  the  first  meeting  believers  and 
inquirers  were  asked  to  remain,  when  about  six  or 
seven  hundred  occupied  the  whole  body  of  the 
church.  Mr.  Moody  addressed  the  anxious,  showing 
that  simple  trust  alone  was  needed.  He  then  invited 
those  who  wished  to  be  spoken  with  individually  to 
retire  into  the  session-house.  About  fifty  went.  It 
was  a  most  solemn  meeting,  many  being  in  the 
deepest  distress. 

Paisley  and  Greenock  were  visited ;  a  Sabbath 
being  given  to  the  latter  important  place. 

The  Rev.  A.  Henderson,  United  Presbyterian  min- 
ister, gives  the  following  account  of  the  work  in 
Paisley : 

"  During  the  week  of  prayer  in  the  beginning  of 
the  year  we  had  a  series  of  daily  meetings  in  Free  St. 
George's  Church,  which  were  attended  by  numbers 
that  steadily  increased  till  the  close.  A  deep  impres- 
sion was  produced,  and  earnest  desires  were  expressed 
that  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  might  visit  the  town. 


THE  FIELD  PREPARED.  107 

"  Shortly  after  the  close  of  the  week  of  prayer  a 
meeting  of  ministers  of  various  denominations  was 
called  in  the  usual  way,  by  circular  signed  by  the 
senior  minister  of  the  town.  Almost  all  denomina- 
tions were  represented  at  the  meeting,  and  it  was 
unanimously  agreed  to  send  a  requisition  to  Messrs. 
Moody  and  Sankey,  asking  them  to  visit  Paisley. 
This  requisition  was  signed  by  more  than  two-thirds 
of  the  evangelical  ministers  of  the  town.  It  was 
agreed  at  the  same  time  that  a  daily  prayer-meeting 
should  be  commenced.  That  meeting  has  been  regu- 
larly held  since  the  end  of  February  in  Oakshaw 
United  Presbyterian  Church.  United  evangelistic 
meetings  have  been  also  held  on  Monday  and  Thurs- 
day evenings.  These  meetings  have  occasionally  been 
addressed  by  those  who  had  taken  a  part  in  the  move- 
ment in  Edinburgh  and  Glasgow.  After  some  of 
these  meetings  a  few  inquirers  remained  to  be  con- 
versed with,  and  some  were  brought  to  peace  in  be- 
lieving. 

"  On  Wednesday  of  this  week,  Mr.  Moody  came 
among  us.  The  mid-day  prayer-meeting  held  in  Mr. 
France's  church  was  crowded.  Long  before  the  hour 
announced,  the  Abbey  was  filled  to  hear  one  of  his 


108  COMFORT  FOR  THE  MOURNERS. 

Bible  lectures,  and  in  the  evening  the  Free  High 
Church  was  crammed  in  every  corner.  More  than 
two  thousand  people  must  have  been  present.  Mr. 
Moody  spoke  from  John  iii.,  on  the  necessity  of  the 
new  birth.  A  very  deep  impression  was  made,  and 
about  forty  inquirers  were  individually  conversed 
with,  many  of  whom  departed  rejoicing.  On  Thurs- 
day Mr.  Sankey  came.  The  Free  High  Church  was 
again  crowded  an  hour  before  the  time  of  meeting. 
Free  St.  George's  was  also  opened,  and  filled  to  over- 
flowing. A  number  of  inquirers  were  spoken  to  in  the 
latter  place,  and  about  sixty  remained  in  the  Free  High 
Church.  Mr.  Moody  returned  yesterday.  He  address- 
ed the  mid-day  prayer-meeting,  gave  a  Bible  reading 
in  the  Free  High  Church  at  four  o'clock  on  '  Heaven,' 
and  addressed  the  meeting  in  the  same  place  in  the 
evening.  An  hour  before  the  time  the  large  building 
was  crowded  in  every  part ;  not  an  inch  of  standing 
room  was  left.  About  two  hundred  inquirers  re- 
mained. The  scene  was  most  impressive.  The  whole 
area  of  the  church  was  occupied  by  groups  of  men  and 
women,  many  of  whom  were  weeping  most  bitterly, 
while  ministers  and  Christian  friends  were  engaged 
in  speaking  to  them  of  Christ.     At  the  close,  Mr. 


GREEXOCK.  109 


M<  n  »dy  gathered  the  inquirers  together,  and  asked  all 
who  could  say  now  that  they  could  cast  themselves  on 
Christ  to  stand  up  and  sing  '  Just  as  I  am,'  when  the 
great  majority  stood  up.  It  was  a  sight  to  be  remem- 
bered for  a  lifetime.  The  cloud  of  blessing  has  burst 
over  us  at  last.  The  prayers  of  God's  children  have 
been  answered,  and  their  hearts  refreshed.  Brethren 
of  all  denominations  have  come  together  and  have 
wrought  together  for  a  common  end." 

Of  the  result,  of  the  Sabbath  given  to  Greenock, 
the  Rev.  E.  Maclean,  Baptist  minister,  gives  the  fol- 
lowing account : 

"  The  movement  in  Greenock,  which  is  now  felt  to 
be  touching  and  impressing  all  classes,  may  be  said, 
under  God,  to  be  the  outgrowth  of  daily  prayer-meet- 
ings and  special  evangelistic  efforts  which  have  been 
maintained  for  more  than  three  months. 

"  Arrangements  were  made  for  Messrs.  Moody  and 
Sankey  visiting  the  town,  and  for  a  visit  to  the  neigh- 
boring town  of  Paisley  at  the  same  time ;  so  we  had 
these  friends  with  us  alternately.  On  Wednesday, 
the  8th  of  April,  Mr.  Sankey  visited  us,  and  took  part 
in  our  daily  prayer-meeting  at  noon,  in  the  Town 
Hall,  where  between  two  and  three  thousand  people 


110  THE  NEW  BIRTH. 

were  assembled.  In  connection  with  this  service  there 
was  a  profound  impression  produced  by  the  singing 
of  the  hymn  'Nothing  but  Leaves.'  In  the  even- 
ing there  was  again  a  crowded  attendance  at  the 
Town  Hall  and  St.  Michael  Street  United  Presbyte- 
rian Church,  which  was  open  for  the  overflow,  at  both 
of  which  places  Mr.  Sankey  was  present  during  the 
evening. 

"  On  Thursday  Mr.  Moody  attended  three  meet- 
ings. The  daily  prayer-meeting  was  crowded;  and, 
after  prayer  and  praise,  Mr.  Moody  spoke  from  Luke 
v.  18,  in  his  usual  graphic  way.  In  the  afternoon,  he 
gave  his  Bible  lecture  on  '  Heaven.'  The  solemnity 
and  attention  displayed  seemed  to  show  that  the  truth 
set  forth  was  finding  its  way  to  many  a  heart.  In 
the  evening  Mr.  Moody  followed  up  his  address  on 
'Heaven'  by  an  address  on  ' Regeneration,'  specially 
addressed  to  the  unconverted,  in  which  he  showed 
that,  '  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  of  God.'  After  the  public  meeting  there 
were  a  second  and  third  meeting,  at  which  a  large 
number  of  inquirers  remained. 

"  On  Friday  Mr.  Sankey  was  present  at  the  largest 
forenoon  meeting  we  have  yet  had ;  and  again  in  the 


AN  EYE-WITNESS.  Ill 

evening,  when  Eevs.  Messrs.  Smith,  Maclean,  Syming- 
ton, Young,  and  Jarvie  addressed  the  assembly,  num- 
bering over  three  thousand  persons. 

"  On  Saturday  the  daily  meeting  was  reserved  spe- 
cially for  children,  and  the  hall  was  again  densely 
crowded  with  children,  their  parents  and  friends. 
Mr.  Sankey  sang  'Jesus  loves  Me,'  'Room  among 
the  Angels,'  i  Hold  the  Fort,'  etc.  Altogether  during 
the  last  few  days  it  may  be  calculated  that  from  four 
to  five  thousand  have  been  hearing  the  Gospel  daily. 
JSTearly  all  the  ministers  of  the  town  have  taken  part 
in  one  way  or  another  during  the  course  of  the  meet- 
ings." 

By  the  middle  of  April,  Glasgow  Christians  felt 
that  they  had  had  time  to  form  an  opinion  regarding 
the  agencies  employed  and  the  results.  Rev.  James 
TTells,  Free  Barony  Church,  Glasgow,  himself  a  most 
laborious  and  successful  missionary  pastor  in  a  diffi- 
cult field,  says  :  "  I  shall  give  you  the  impressions  of 
an  eye-witness  regarding  some  of  the  most  noteworthy 
features  of  the  work  of  grace  in  Glasgow.  Perhaps 
the  most  hopeful  sign  is,  that  one  is  hearing  con- 
tinually of  cases  of  awakening  and  conversion  in  out- 
of-the-way  corners,  and  in  connection  with  ordinary 


112  JESUS  PASSING  BY. 

agencies.  Surprising  tokens  of  the  Spirit's  power  are 
now  found  in  Sabbath-schools,  Bible  classes,  and  mis- 
sion meetings.  The  stream  in  the  extraordinary- 
channels  is  overflowing  along  the  ordinary  home 
channels.  Two  facts  help  to  account  for  this.  All 
the  efforts  of  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  have  been 
in  the  closest  alliance  with,  and  thoroughly  loyal  to, 
existing  agencies ;  and  the  work  may  now  be  said 
to  have  been  accepted  as  genuine  by  the  catholic 
consent  of  the  Evangelical  Churches. 

"  It  seems  to  be  generally  admitted  that  the  young 
men  have  had  the  largest  share  of  the  blessing.  Their 
case  from  the  very  first  was  specially  laid  upon  the 
hearts  and  consciences  of  the  praying  people.  Our 
spiritual  dead  among  the  young  men  were  carried 
forth  like  the  dead  son  of  the  widow  of  JSTain.  A 
widowed  Church  carried  them  forth  with  affectionate 
sorrow ;  but  not  in  despair,  as  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was 
passing  by,  and  His  fame  was  in  the  land.  At  His 
bidding  she  stood  still,  expecting  His  aid ;  and  many 
of  our  spiritual  dead  heard  His  life-giving  word,  and 
were  restored  as  the  crown  and  joy  of  the  Church.  I 
do  not  think  that  I  have  ever  seen  better  religious 
meetings  than  some  of  those  young  men's  meetings." 


PRAYER  HEARD.  113 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Wallace,  of  East  Campbell  Street 
United  Presbyterian  Church,  Glasgow,  an  experienced 
pastor,  and  well  entitled  to  speak  on  such  a  topic, 
writes : 

"  'The  Lord  hath  done  great  things  for  us,  whereof 
we  are  glad.'  This  is  the  spirit  in  which  we  regard 
the  present  blessed  awakening,  which  God  in  His 
mercy  has  granted  us  during  this  precious  time  of 
visitation.  Truly  God  has  fulfilled  His  own  promise : 
'  Call  unto  me,  and  I  will  answer  thee,  and  show  thee 
great  and  mighty  things  which  thou  knowest  not.' 
Had  we  been  told  at  the  commencement  of  this  year  of 
the  scenes  which  we  have  lately  witnessed, — crowded 
prayer-meetings  at  noon,  nighly  prayer-meetings  for 
young  men,  hundreds  of  anxious  inquirers  manifest- 
ing intense  interest  in  the  concerns  of  their  souls ;  in 
short,  had  we  been  told  that  ere  the  spring  time 
would  come  and  pass  away  there  would  be  such  a 
fresh  outburst  of  spiritual  life,  we  should  have  felt 
inclined  to  say,  as  the  prime  minister  of  Israel  did 
when  Elisha  prophesied  that  there  would  be  plenty 
of  food  sold  at  the  market  price  in  the  gate  of  Samaria 
within  twenty-four  hours,  when  the  famine  wras  sore 
in  the  land,  '  Behold,  if  the  Lord  would  make  windows 


114  MR.  BROWNLOW  NORTH. 

in  heaven,  might  this  thing  be  ? '  It  has  ~been  ;  '  times 
of  refreshing'  have  come,  and  unto  God  be  all  the 
glory  and  all  the  praise !  It  is  with  a  grateful  heart 
that  we  place  on  record  some  of  '  the  things  which  we 
have  seen  and  heard.'  " 

Mr.  Brownlow  North,  a  gentleman  of  property  and 
eminent  Christian  zeal,  who  was  many  years  ago 
formally  set  apart  to  the  work  of  an  evangelist  by 
the  Free  Church,  had  come  to  Glasgow.  Of  his 
efforts,  one  of  the  Glasgow  pastors  gives  this  ac- 
count : 

"  Mr.  Brownlow  North  gave  six  addresses;  and  these 
were  evidently  much  blessed  to  not  a  few.  At  sev- 
eral of  these  gatherings,  which  were  thrown  open,  like 
the  noonday  meeting,  for  prayer  and  remarks,  several 
young  men  stood  up,  and  sweetly  and  humbly  testified 
to  the  *  blessing  which  they  had  got.1  This  has  be- 
come a  very  significant  phrase  in  these  days.  All  our 
prayer-meetings  have  been  thrown  open,  and  with  the 
very  best  results.  Unction,  brevity,  variety  are  indis- 
pensable to  a  successful  '  sweet  hour  of  prayer.'  Never 
have  I  had  so  many  applicants  for  admission  to  the 
Lord's  table  for  the  first  time  as  at  this  season ;  but 
the  spirit  in  which  they  express  themselves  is  some- 


DUNDEE.  115 


thing  still  more  satisfactory  than  mere  numbers.  God 
in  mercy  grant  that  the  tide  of  blessing  may  deepen 
and  spread  throughout  the  whole  land ! " 

Of  the  state  of  feeling  in  Dundee,  Rev.  A.  H.  Reid, 
of  M'Cheyne  Church,  writes : 

"  With  much  gratitude  and  thankfulness  to  our  re- 
deeming God,  we  are  able  to  report  that  the  good 
work  still  goes  on  silently  and  unostentatiously.  The 
Spirit  is  among  us,  not  so  much  as  the  rushing, 
mighty  wind,  bearing  down  with  violence  all  obsta- 
cles :  nor  even  so  much,  perhaps,  as  the  i  floods  upon 
the  dry  ground,'  but  rather  as  the  gentle  summer 
rain,  or  the  silently  falling  dew,  *  that  tarrieth  not  for 
man,  nor  waiteth  for  the  sons  of  men.'  ISTever  was 
there  less  of  everything  approaching  to  excitement  or 
extravagance ;  so  much  so,  that  outside  observers, 
who  are  not  coming  into  personal  contact  with  in- 
quirers and  converts,  can  form  no  adequate  idea  of 
the  depth  and  extent  of  the  good  that  has  been  done. 

"  A  minister  in  the  east  end  reported  the  other  day 
at  a  meeting  of  his  presbytery,  f  We  are  in  the  midst 
of  a  gracious  revival,  without  the  very  least  excite- 
merit.''  Many  others  could  give  similar  testimony. 
Since  our  beloved  brethren,  Moody  and  Sankey,  left 


116  AS  THE  DEW. 


us,  evangelistic  services  have  been  held,  generally  for 
a  week  at  a  time,  in  many  of  the  churches.  These 
meetings  have  been  addressed  by  ministers  and  lay- 
men, both  from  a  distance  and  from  the  locality.  The 
results  in  many  instances  have  been  most  encourag- 
ing ;  and  were  it  prudent  to  do  so,  many  sheets  might 
be  filled  with  records  of  individual  cases  of  conver- 
sion. Suffice  it  to  say,  that  old  sinners  grown  hoary 
in  sin,  together  with  young  men  and  young  women 
in  the  bloom  of  opening  life,  as  well  as  many  little 
children,  have  felt  the  sharp  arrows  of  the  King 
in  their  hearts,  and  yielded  to  His  scepter.  Most  of 
the  cases  of  anxiety  exhibited  a  considerable  measure 
of  deep  conviction  of  sin,  especially  the  sin  of  unbe- 
lief, and  a  desire  to  be  saved  not  merely  from  hell,  as 
the  consequence  of  sin,  but  from  sin  itself  in  its 
dominion  and  power. 

"  These  special  efforts  have  now  for  the  most  part 
given  place  again  to  the  ordinary  means  of  grace, — 
weekly  prayer-meetings,  Bible  and  young  communi- 
cants' classes,  pastoral  visitation,  etc.  It  is  believed 
that  the  work  will  continue  to  go  on  in  these  ordi- 
nary channels.  The  influence  of  the  movement  on 
ministers,  and  on  their  ordinary  ministrations,  is  very 


THE  PL  A  IS    WAY.  117 

marked.  There  is  a  power  and  liberty  and  joyf  ulness 
in  declaring  the  old,  old  story  of  the  cross,  as  well  as 
an  eager  attention  and  expectancy  in  listening  to  it, 
not  felt  before.  In  some  cases,  Saturday  evening  and 
Sabbath  morning  prayer-meetings  for  young  men  and 
young  women  (meeting  separately)  have  been  com- 
menced, with  an  encouraging  attendance,  for  the  spe- 
cial purpose  of  pleading  for  a  blessing  in  connection 
with  the  Sabbath  services.  The  consequence  is,  that 
Christians  come  up  to  the  sanctuary  with  their  mouths 
wide  open,  and  they  are  filled  abundantly  by  the  Lord 
Himself.  The  attendance  at  the  weekly  prayer-meet- 
ings is  in  all  cases  (where  the  minister  is  favorable  to 
the  work)  increased ;  in  some  cases  it  has  been  doub- 
led, and  even  tripled.  Many  of  the  ministers  have 
been  inviting  anxious  ones  to  meet  them  in  their 
vestries  or  houses,  and  not  a  few  have  taken  advan- 
tage of  the  invitation  to  open  up  their  difficulties. 

"  One  of  the  most  striking  evidences  of  the  presence 
of  the  Spirit  is  the  facility  with  which  anxious  ones 
are  brought  to  see  the  simplicity  of  God's  way  of 
salvation,  and  to  trust  Christ  as  their  Saviour.  The 
very  same  truths  which  before  seemed  powerless  to 
impart  peace  have,  in  many  instances,  only  to  be  stated 


118  TONG  UES  LOOSED. 

in  order  to  be  received.  Often  have  we  seen  the 
smile  of  peace  brightening  up  the  countenance  which, 
but  a  moment  before,  was  sad  and  sorrowful  on  ac- 
count of  sin,  at  the  very  time  when  we  were  setting 
before  the  soul  the  trustworthiness  of  the  Saviour, 
the  free  offer  of  salvation  to  all,  and  the  privilege  and 
duty  of  an  immediate  acceptance  of  Christ.  As  we 
remarked,  '  It  seems  just  now  so  easy  to  he  saved? 

"  Another  token  of  God's  presence  is  the  readiness 
of  multitudes  of  all  classes  to  converse  on  spiritual 
matters.  God's  people  especially  have  been  drawn 
nearer  to  each  other,  and  find  their  hearts  refreshed 
in  speaking  to  one  another  of  the  '  things  touching 
the  King.5  Bible  readings  in  private  houses  have  been 
commenced,  where  Christians  meet  together  for  the 
study  of  God's  Word.  One  of  the  most  encouraging 
aspects  of  the  work  is  the  taste  which  has  been  created 
for  the  '  pure  milk  of  the  Word.'  Many  who  were 
believers  before  testify  that,  under  the  fresh  baptism 
of  the  Spirit  which  they  have  received,  the  Bible  has 
become  to  them  a  new  book  altogether.  The  num- 
ber of  applicants  for  admission  to  the  Lord's  table  is 
very  large.  In  one  congregation  in  town  there  are 
between  fifty  and  sixty." 


GLASGOW  CON VENTION.  119 

A  Convention  in  Glasgow  was  intended  to  wind 
up  the  series  of  meetings  held  by  Messrs.  Moody  and 
Sankey  for  preaching  the  gospel.  It  was  "  a  really 
successful  gathering  of  thousands  of  Christian  work- 
ers from  all  parts  of  the  land  and  many  parts  of  the 
world.  There  never  was  a  meeting  equal  to  it  in  our 
country  for  the  numbers  assembled,  the  variety  of 
churches  represented,  and  the  earnest,  practical  tone 
and  tendency  displayed  in  the  addresses.  There 
were  seven  thousand  tickets  issued,  and  we  think 
there  were  at  least  five  thousand  at  one  time  in  the 
(  palace.'  They  came  and  went  at  all  the  different  six 
hours.  There  were  many  there  who,  by  their  ap- 
pearance while  Mr.  Sankey  sang  or  Mr.  Moody  spoke, 
gave  one  the  impression  that  they  were  listening  to 
them  for  the  first  time ;  for  they  seemed  to  he  enrapt 
in  fixed  astonishment  at  the  singing  of  the  one  and 
the  speaking  of  the  other." 

Mr.  Moody  answered  many  "  miscellaneous  practi- 
cal questions  in  a  brief,  practical  way."  As  to  a 
chairman  at  gospel  meetings,  Mr.  Moody  said : 
"  I  have  noticed  during  the  few  months  I  have  been 
here,  that  a  great  many  meetings  in  Scotland 
have  been  just  spoiled  by  some  one  taking  the  chair ; 


120  SABBATH-SCHOOL  ROOMS. 

and  after  a  man  has  preached  a  most  powerful  sermon, 
the  chairman  got  up  and  made  some  observations  and 
offered  some  resolutions,  and  took  the  mind  of  the 
audience  right  away  from  the  sermon.  The  man  to 
close  the  meeting  is  the  one  who  began  it." 

"  I  do  not  see  any  objection  to  women  working 
among  their  own  sex.  One  woman  in  Mr.  Spurgeon's 
church  had  six  hundred  women  gathered  together 
from  the  lanes  and  alleys  of  London,  and  it  was 
a  question  whether  she  did  not  do  more  for  these 
women  than  Mr.  Spurgeon." 

"  As  to  children,  I  would  say,  put  up  some  decent 
buildings.  Your  rooms  in  Scotland  are  dirty,  dark, 
and  dingy ;  and  to  sit  on  the  hard  seats  in  some  of 
them  is  enough  to  make  any  one  sick.  I  would  have 
the  seats  low,  so  that  the  children's  feet  might  touch 
the  floor.  I  would  have  a  lot  of  buildings  erected  for 
them  :  and  there  ought  to  be  a  hundred  such  build- 
ings in  Glasgow — good,  cheerful,  pleasant  buildings. 
Out  of  these  mission  schools,  churches  would  grow. 

"  As  to  young  converts,  what  did  the  Master  say  to 
the  man  whom  he  dispossessed  of  the  legion  of  devils  ? 
'  Go  home  to  thy  friends,  and  tell  them  how  great 
things  the  Lord  hath  done  for  thee,  and  hath  had 


OPEX  COXFESSION.  ■*        121 

compassion  on  thee.  And  he  departed  and  began  to 
publish  in  Decapolis  (a  region  embracing  ten  cities), 
how  great  things  Jesus  had  done  for  him,  and  all  men 
did  marvel.'  That  man  went  and  told  his  friends  in 
the  whole  town.  If  1  get  good  news,  I  should  not  con- 
fine it  to  my  wife  and  children,  I  should  spread  it.  If 
I  have  been  serving  the  devil  publicly,  why  not  con- 
fess Christ  publicly  ?  We  want  a  little  more  of  that 
confession  in  the  churches  in  Glasgow  and  Scotland. 
Some  say  they  are  afraid  about  it,  and  that  these 
young  converts  should  be  taught  before  they  teach. 
But  the  spirit  of  the  gospel  is  get  and  give.  Let  these 
young  friends  go  out  and  do  the  best  they  can.  I 
believe  if  hundreds  of  young  converts  were  setting  to 
work  they  would  do  immense  good.  They  must  be 
guided ;  if  they  make  a  mistake  they  should  be  told 
of  it  privately.  Their  mistakes  should  not  be  pub- 
lished abroad.  Of  course  they  will  make  some  mis- 
takes. Since  I  have  been  a  Christian  I  have  made 
mistakes  enough  to  keep  me  humble.  If  they  did 
not  make  mistakes  they  might  soon  get  full  of  spir- 
itual pride.  Some  men  make  only  one  mistake,  and 
that  is  that  they  are  so  afraid  of  making  a  mistake 
that  they  never  do  anything.' 
6 


122  THE  LAPSED  MASSES. 

"As  to  the  benefit  of  thoroughly  educated  minis- 
ters, I  never  saw  a  man  that  had  too  much  education. 
But  there  is  another  side  to  that;  if  a  man  goes  and 
sets  up  education  in  the  place  of  Christ  he  will  have 
a  good  deal  to  answer  for.  There  was  a  great  cry 
that  some  men  had  got  zeal  without  knowledge.  But 
I  would  rather  have  zeal  without  knowledge  than 
knowledge  without  zeal.  Regularly  trained  minis- 
ters have  their  place,  and  it  would  be  very  foolish  for  us 
to  quarrel  with  one  another  on  that  point.  It  would 
have  been  very  foolish  for  Paul  to  have  said  to  Peter : 
6  Here,  Peter,  you  are  an  unlearned  fisherman  of 
Galilee :  you  have  got  zeal,  but  you  have  not  got 
education.  I  have  got  a  polished  education;  lam 
the  man  to  preach.'     God  used  them  both." 

"As  to  the  outlying  masses,  if  this  convention 
should  go  on  fire  with  love  for  Christ,  we  should  soon 
reach  them.  The  spirit  of  Christianity  is  not  to  open 
churches  and  say,  '  Come  in  and  be  saved,'  but  to  go 
out  and  seek  the  lost.  The  spirit  of  the  Son  of  God 
is  to  seek  and  save  those  who  are  lost.  If  they  will 
not  come  to  your  nice  churches,  you  should  get  some 
tents  and  go  where  the  masses  are.  If  I  went  to  one 
of  your  lakes  to  fish  and  caught  nothing,  I  should  go 


TOTAL  ABSTINENCE.  123 

to  some  other  one  where  the  fish  were.  Instead  of 
preaching  to  empty  pews,  I  would  rather  go  out  to 
the  streets  where  the  crowd  is.  Never  mind  the  talk 
of  your  dinner  parties  but  go  out  and  work  for  Christ. 

"  As  to  a  Bible  lecture  on  the  Sabbath  in  place 
of  one  of  our  sermons,  I  do  not  see  anything  to  hin- 
der it.  I  would  suggest  to  some  of  our  friends  pres- 
ent just  to  try  it.  Ministers  have  got  into  the  habit 
of  using  the  Bible  merely  as  a  text-book,  and  then 
going  over  all  Christendom  after  the  sermon.  Why 
do  this  ?  One  word  that  God  says  is  worth  a  hun- 
dred of  yours.  It  reminds  me  of  a  minister  who,  on 
going  to  church,  lost  his  sermon,  and  who  said  to  his 
congregation,  'I  have  lost  my  sermon,  but  I  will  read 
you  two  or  three  chapters  of  Job,  and  they  are  worth 
two  of  it.'  " 

The  question  of  Total  Abstinence  is  not  on  the 
same  basis  in  Great  Britain  that  it  has  reached  here, 
but  Mr.  Moody  spoke  plainly :  "  I  would  rather  have 
my  right  hand  cut  off  than  touch  the  stuff  before  my 
children.  The  friends  that  have  been  lost  are  so 
many  as  should  rouse  us  to  be  as  one  man  in  sweep- 
ing the  drink  from  our  tables.  If  you  want  me  to 
sign  the  pledge,  I  will  take  any  pledge  you  may 


124  -  YOUNG  MEN'S  WANTS. 

bring ;  I  never  touch  drink,  and  never  intend  to  do 
so.  Now  for  the  other  side !  Some  temperance  men 
make  a  grand  mistake,  and  that  is — they  lug  in  the 
question  every  time  they  get  the  chance.  Everything 
in  its  own  place !  If  I  go  to  a  prayer-meeting  I  do 
not  want  to  hear  temperance  or  the  higher  Christian 
life.  There  is  a  man  who  comes  to  our  noon-day 
meetings;  no  matter  what  the  subject  is,  he  gets 
up  and  talks  every  day  on  the  higher  life.  A 
friend,  in  going  out  of  the  meeting  one  day,  said  to 
me,  'I  like  a  fiddle  with  a  thousand  strings,  not  with 
this  one  of  higher  life  played  on  every  day.'  And  so 
it  is  with  temperance." 

As  to  the  young  men — "  "What  is  the  work  of  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  ?  To  look  after 
these  young  men — not  to  get  up  lectures  to  them,  not  to 
have  skeptics  and  infidels  lecturing  and  dealing  out  to 
them,  I  was  going  to  say,  damnable  stuff.  They  are 
infidels  now  if  unsaved — give  them  the  good,  pure, 
gospel.  They  don't  want  lectures.  They  .want 
Christ  and  let  them  have  Christ.  The  world  is  per- 
ishing for  the  want  of  Christ,  and  what  the  young 
men  of  Glasgow  or  any  other  city  ivant  is  the  Son  of 
God,  not  lectures  and  theology.      That  is  all;  and 


WORKS.  125 


that  is  the  only  thing  that  will  save  them  from,  a 
drunkard's  grave." 

Such  was  the  style  in  which  practical  themes  were 
discussed  by  Mr.  Moody ;  and  the  Convention  main- 
tained the  same  practical  and  earnest  tone  through- 
out. It  included  hundreds  of  representative  men 
from  every  part  of  Scotland,  and  of  every  class  and 
every  denomination.  Country  gentlemen,  large  em- 
ployers, lawyers,  college  professors,  and  strangers 
from  England,  Ireland,  and  the  Continent.  Dr.  Bu- 
chanan of  Glasgow,  of  whom  Scottish  Christians  are 
justly  proud,  fittingly  opened  the  meeting  with  the 
One  Hundredth  Psalm  and  prayer,  and  Dr.  Char- 
teris,  Principal  Fairbaira,  who  has  since  entered  into 
rest,  and  many  others  took  part.  The  closing  scene 
of  the  day  meeting  (an  evening  meeting  was  called  for 
and  numbered  five  thousand  persons,)  was  peculiarly 
impressive.  Instead  of  farther  details,  an  estimate  of 
the  whole  effort  will  interest  the  reader. 

At  three  o'clock  all  were  ready  for  the  last  part  of 
that  day's  programme.  Dr.  Andrew  A.  Bonar  and 
Mr.  Sankey,  with  his  choir,  sang  "I  am  trusting, 
Lord,  in  Thee." 

Before  commencing  his  lecture  on  "  Works,"  Mr. 


126  CLOSING  SCENES. 

Moody  prayed  again.  He  solemnly  asked  that  "  this 
the  last  hour  that  we  should  ever  all  spend  together 
on  earth,  might  be  very  memorable,  and  that  the  in- 
fluence of  this  convention  might  be  felt  on  the 
shores  of  eternity.  It  is  so  easy  for  Thee,  O  God,  to 
give  blessing  ! "  His  lecture  was  addressed  to  Chris- 
tians, telling  what  the  saved  were  to  do,  not  how  to 
save  themselves.  As  he  drew  to  the  close  he  said, 
u  Napoleon  I.  once  after  a  victory  struck  a  medal 
with  these  words  on  it,  '  I  was  there  ! '  I  shall  soon 
leave  Scotland,  but  I  shall  look  to  what  has  passed 
there  for  ever.  I  shall  remember  our  meeting  here, 
and  the  16th  day  of  April,  1874,  and  rejoice  to  say, 
'I  was  there.'  But  shall  any  of  us  stand  before 
the  throne  with  '  nothing  but  leaves  V  It  is  hard  to 
draw  to  a  close.  We  must  say  good  night;  but  we 
shall  meet  in  the  morning." 

Mr.  Somerville  prayed,  and  after  singing,  "  There's 
a  land  that  is  fairer  than  day,"  the  benediction  was 
pronounced,  and  this  most  memorable  conference 
separated,  every  one  blessing  the  Lord  for  that  day's 
wonderful  enjoyment. 

"  The  right  tone  was  struck  at  once  and  maintained 
throughout,  and  the  impression  increased  without  in- 


GENERAL  EFFECT. 


terruption  from  the  beginning  to  the  close.  Invita- 
tions had  been  issued  first  to  ministers  and  office- 
bearers, and  then  to  the  general  public.  There  were 
about  two  thousand  ministers  and  office-bearers  pres- 
ent, and  the  audience  altogether  numbered  about  five 
thousand.  It  was  scarcely  an  exaggeration  when  Dr. 
Cairns  said  it  was  a  meeting  unparalleled  in  the  his- 
tory of  Scottish,  perhaps  of  British,  Christianity. 

u  The  external  arrangements  conduced  greatly  to 
the  success.  The  meeting  took  place  in  the  Kibble 
Crystal  Palace,  a  very  large  and  beautiful  circular 
building  in  the  Botanic  Gardens.  A  platform  for 
the  accommodation  of  those  who  were  to  take  a  lead- 
ing part  in  the  proceedings  was  erected  opposite  the 
entrance  on  the  far-off  side  of  the  circle.  The  seats 
nearest  the  platform  were  occupied  by  ministers  and 
office-bearers,  while  the  outer  circle  of  seats  was  occu- 
pied by  the  general  public.  Here  and  there  in  the 
building  were  large  hothouse  plants,  and  in  front  of 
the  platform  there  was  a  beautiful  bed  of  flowers. 
The  weather  was  fine. 

••  The  first  result  of  the  meeting  was  the  impression 
produced  on  those  present,  of  which  the  principal 
elements  probably  were  a  fresher  and  larger  cuticep- 


128  WIDENING  AREA. 

tion  of  the  dimensions  and  character  of  the  work  God 
has  already  done,  an  overmastering  feeling  of  the 
nearness  of  the  divine  love  and  power,  operative  and 
available  for  further  operations,  and  a  sense  of' the 
duty  of  vigorously  planning  and  laboring  for  the 
consolidation  and  promotion  of  the  work  in  all  direc- 
tions. But  the  impulses  generated  in  the  convention 
will  no  doubt  spread  and  multiply  themselves  ;  those 
who  took  part  in  it  will  communicate  their  impres- 
sions to  others,  and  new  vigor  and  enlightenment 
may  be  looked  for  in  all  evangelistic  operations 
in  the  West."  The  Convention  was  the  close  of  the 
evangelists'  labors  in  Glasgow. 

The  Times  of  Blessing,  a  weekly  journal  devoted  to 
the  spread  of  good  tidings,  thus  speaks  on  April  30, 
1874 :  "  The  work  continues  to  spread  and  deepen  on 
all  hands.  Edinburgh  and  Glasgow  are  of  course  the 
great  centers,  and  probably  the  movement  is  most 
intense  in  and  around  them.  At  Leith,  Dalkeith, 
Portobello,  Linlithgow,  Musselburgh,  Kirkcaldy, 
Dunfermline,  Eathgate,  West  Calder,  and  at  Greenock, 
Paisley,  Chryston,  Douglas,  and  many  other  places 
within  their  immediate  influence,  it  has  been  strongly 
felt.     But  it  is  by  no  means  confined  to  the  central 


EXPECTATIONS  RAISED.  129 

districts.  The  news  of  what  has  been  doing  in  them 
has  spread  everywhere,  and  awakened  interest  and 
expectation  in  the  remotest  places.  The  result  of  this 
has  been  united  prayer  on  the  part  of  God's  people, 
and  the  putting  forth  of  special  efforts,  which  success 
seems  everywhere  to  follow.  From  the  Orkney  and 
Shetland  Islands  requests  for  prayer  have  been  sent 
to  Edinburgh,  not  unaccompanied  with  thanksgivings 
for  blessings  received ;  and  the  hymns  which  have 
been  in  so  many  places  the  precursors  of  revival  are 
already  popular  in  these  islands.  Elgin  is  the  center 
of  a  work  extending  over  all  the  southern  coast  of  the 
Moray  Firth.  Similarly,  Aberdeen  is  the  focus  of  an 
extensive  movement.  The  impulse  given  by  the 
visit  of  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  to  Dundee  has 
continued  to  propagate  itself  both  in  that  town  and 
elsewhere  in  Forfar  and  Fife.  All  through  the  cen- 
tral counties  special  meetings  have  been  held,  and  the 
anticipated  results,  while  nowhere  entirely  wanting, 
have  in  many  cases  been  of  the  most  extraordinary  kind. 
In  the  southeastern  counties  the  visits  of  Messrs. 
Jy  and  Sankey  to  Melrose  and  Berwick,  as  well 
as  the  constant  news  from  Edinburgh,  excited  a  spirit 
of  awakening  everywhere.  Reports  of  blessing  re- 
G* 


130  BROTHERL  Y  LO  VE. 

ceived  at  several  places  in  Argyllshire  were  given  in 
at  the  Free  Synod  of  that  county,  and  every  day 
brings  the  most  cheering  news  from  new  places  in  the 
west." 

The  Rev.  "W.  Arnot,  now  well  known  in  this  coun- 
try, expressed,  at  this  stage  of  the  movement,  his  de- 
liberate opinion  in  the  valuable  monthly  of  which  he 
is  the  editor,  the  point  of  view  at  which  he  looks  at  it 
being  its  promotion  of  true  Catholicity. 

"For  some  years  past,  until  May  of  last  year,  a  dis- 
tressing internal  war  has  raged  among  us  in  regard  to 
union.  Although  a  flood  had  passed  over  the  land 
these  differences  could  not  have  been  more  completely 
swept  away.  Men  have  been  lifted  up  nearer  to 
Christ,  and  they  have,  to  their  surprise,  found  them- 
selves much  closer  to  one  another.  The  tone  of  the 
conference  was  tender,  and  humble,  and  devout,  and 
brotherly  in  a  degree  far  exceeding  anything  within 
the  experience  of  the  eldest  of  us.  There  was  not  a 
jarring  note.  The  meeting  threw  light  for  me  on  the 
Lord's  meaning  when  he  said,  *  Except  ye  receive  the 
kingdom  as  a  little  child,  ye  shall  not  enter  it.' 
"When  great  warrior  men  are  melted  down  by  the 
Spirit   into  little  babes,  they  seem  to  get  into  the 


LABORERS  WASTED.  131 

kingdom  more  easily  than  when  they  march  against 

each  other  with  their  armor  on.     The  meeting  was 

too  short.     The  mind  of  the  brethren  seemed  to  be — 

'I  have  been  there,  and  still  would  go  ; 
Tis  like  a  little  heaven  below.' 

"A  similar  spirit  is  spreading  in  many  parts  of 
Scotland.  Some  who,  in  the  various  country  towns 
and  villages, '  wait  for  the  consolation  of  Israel,'  come 
over  to  Edinburgh,  and  attend  the  noon  meeting  for 
a  day  or  two.  When  these  return  they  communicate 
with  their  friends.  An  evangelistic  union  meeting  is 
arranged;  a  demand  reaches  Edinburgh  for  one  or 
more  to  come  over  and  help;  and  so  this  new  fiery 
cross  is  carried  from  mountain  ridge  to  mountain 
ridge,  summoning  the  clans  to  the  standard  of  the 
Prince  of  peace.  Great  labor  falls  on  those  who  are 
able-bodied  as  well  as  spiritually  qualified ;  but  if  the 
work  is  severe,  the  joy  is  like  the  joy  of  harvest,  and 
they  do  not  feel  the  burden." 

Of  the  Convention  the  Rev.  A.  Somerville,  who 
has  since  been  suffered  to  carry  much  blessing  to 
India,  thus  wrote: 

"  Such  a  day  I  have  never  seen !  I  almost  fear  to 
put  my  thoughts  in  writing,  lest  I  should  seem  to 


132  "AS  MEN  THAT  DREAMED." 

exaggerate.  It  is  only  by  degrees,  and  as  I  come  in 
contact  with  individuals,  since  the  meeting,  that  I 
find  that  the  feelings  of  others  correspond  with  my 
own.  I  can  only  say  that  it  was  to  some  of  us  as  one 
of  'the  days  of  heaven  upon  the  earth.'  It  is  impos- 
sible, by  means  of  any  printed  report  of  what  was 
spoken,  to  convey  an  idea  of  the  power,  sweetness — 
aye,  blessedness,  which  pervaded  the  vast  assembly. 
We  may  reproduce  the  utterances  on  paper;  these  are 
like  the  visible  body,  but  who  can  reproduce  the  soul 
that  animated  the  words  ?  The  persons  who  were 
fortunate  enough  to  be  present  from  first  to  last  were 
those  most  thrilled  with  sensibility;  and  this  simply 
from  the  fact  that  the  longer  the  time  the  deeper  did 
the  intensity  of  emotion  become. 

"  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  seemed  to  descend,  and  to 
set  in  tuneful  vibration  the  heart-strings  of  thousands. 
An  indescribable  consciousness  of  heavenly  tilings 
being  near,  and  of  our  susceptibilities  being  in  har- 
mony with  these,  held  us  as  in  a  delicious  dream, 
while  yet  all  our  mental  faculties  were  in  full  strain. 

"  It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  however,  that  there  was 
merely  indulgence  in  sentiment,  or  that  our  expe- 
rience resembled   enjoyment  from   listening  to  the 


LORD  ARDMILLAN.  133 

concord  of  musical  sounds.  Xo ;  the  speeches  through- 
out the  day  were  manly,  unaffected,  practical,  and 
thoroughly  to  the  point."     * 

If  it  be  supposed  that  clergymen  are  predisposed 
to  regard  a  religious  movement  with  confidence,  the 
same  cannot  be  said  of  the* legal  mind,  accustomed 
as  it  is  to  weigh  evidence.  We  subjoin,  therefore, 
the  testimony  of  the  Hon.  Lord  Ardmillan,  one  of  the 
judges,  and  well  known  in  literary  circles,  who,  in 
the  course  of  a  public  address,  said : 

"  Xo  candid  and  intelligent  observer  can  doubt  that 
there  has  been,  and  still  is,  a  great  work  of  God  in 
the  midst  of  us — a  work  of  awakening,  of  compunc- 
tion, of  revival,  and  of  conversion.  A  great  blessing 
has  followed  the  labors  of  our  friends  from  America 
and  those  who  have  aided  them,  and  it  is,  we  hope, 
spreading  and  deepening.  But  the  work  is  not  of 
man — it  is  of  grace,  and,  therefore,  of  God  ;  and  men, 
even  the  most  earnest  and  able,  are  but  instruments 
in  God's  hands.  Xone  accept  this  truth  more  unre- 
servedly than  Mr.  Moody  and  Mr.  Sankey,  whose 
ministrations  have  been  so  greatly  blessed,  and  I 
think  it  is  a  hopeful  characteristic  of  this  movement, 
of  which  I  speak  from  personal  observation  at  many 


134  FAITHFUL  PASTORS. 

meetings,  that  there  has  been  so  little  self-exaltation, 
and  so  much  sobriety." 

There  was  good  reason  for  Christian  laborers  to  re- 
joice, not  only  in  what  they  saw,  but  in  what  they 
felt.  "The  servants  that  drew  the  vjater  Jcnew.  At 
Cana  neither  the  mother  of  our  Lord,  nor  guests,  nor 
bridegroom,  saw  the  miracle.  No  eyes  but  Christ's 
and  the  servants'  saw  it.  The  servants  drew,  the  ser- 
vants filled,  the  servants  bare  that  water,  that  wine." 

In  Scotland,  wrote  Mrs.  Barbour,  on  the  7th  of 
May  (1874) :  "  Our  pastors  have  ever  been  deemed 
worthy  of  double  honor  ;  but  now  the  Chief  Shepherd 
is  sealing  this  ordinance  in  the  sight  of  all  men  with 
His  royal  stamp.  It  is  no  stranger  who  watches  the 
sheep  and  lambs  as  they  pass  from  the  outer  into  the 
inner  fold,  although  such  strangers  were  received, 
coming  in  the  Master's  name,  as  the  Master  Himself. 
It  is  the  same  faithful  men  who  have  dispensed  the 
word  of  truth  for  the  last  twenty,  thirty,  and  forty 
years  among  us  who  speak  the  word  that  sets  the  cap- 
tive free." 

Rev.  Mr.  Talon  (Episcopalian)  bore  testimony  thus : 
"  Can  we  ever  tell  what  we  owe  to  having  been 
brought  within  these  walls  ?  I,  for  one,  shall  never  for- 


"  R1GIITE0  USXESS."  135 

get  the  first  look  I  got  of  the  vast  multitude  from 
yonder  door.  As  -I  looked  down,  and  could  not  get 
admission,  I  yet  heard  a  few  words,  from  whom  I 
know  not,  but  I  turned  away  and  wept.  And  since 
then  I  have  never  come  but  to  be  blest.  Coming  in 
flurried  with  care,  peace  has  calmed  my  spirit. 
Coming  in  sad,  how  inspiring  have  been  the  glad 
songs  of  praise  !  Coming  in  discouraged,  the  tidings 
of  His  power  and  presence  manifested  in  so  many 
parts  of  the  land,  have  made  me  take  courage.  I 
have  been  blessed  in  my  soul,  blessed  in  my  family, 
blessed  in  my  flock ;  and  so  will  all  who  come  hither, 
looking  only  to  Jesus.  It  might  not  occur  to  us  to 
give  the  same  reason  which  Paul  gave  for  the  gospel's 
being  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation.  ~We  might 
have  said  it  was  from  his  mercy  being  revealed. 
Paul  says  it  is  from  the  revelation  of  God's  righteous- 
ness.  And  this  is  free  to  all — puts  all  on  a  level  down 
in  the  dust.  One  has  said  that  God  seeks  his  jewels 
in  the  dust."         m 

We  must,  for  the  present,  take  leave  of  these  stir- 
ring scenes  in  Glasgow,  to  follow  the  steps  of  the 
evangelists  to  other  and  less  conspicuous  fields  of 
labor.     But  before  doing  so  it  is  with  pleasure  we 


136  REFORMED  SYNOD. 

place  on  record  a  testimony  which  connects  this  work 
and  our  own  land  in  a  very  pleasing  manner. 

THE  MODERATOR  OF  THE  REFORMED  PRESBYTERIAN  SYNOD 
ON  THE  AWAKENING. 

The  Moderator,  in  bringing  the  business  of  the 
Synod  to  a  close,  said  : 

"The  remarkable  religious  awakening  that  has  taken  place  in 
our  chief  cities,  and  over  much  of  our  country,  was  most  fitly 
the  first  subject  that  came  before  us.  The  details  given  by  eye- 
witnesses among  us  of  its  blessed  results  sent  into  all  our  hearts 
a  thrill  of  gratitude  to  God.  Praise,  that  in  too  many  districts  of 
Scotland  has  been  little  esteemed  and  slovenly  performed,  has 
been  felt  by  multitudes  to  have  had  quite  a  new  character  given 
to  it,  and  the  abundant  calls  to  its  performance  in  the  Word  of 
God  have  received  a  fullness  of  meaning  that  many  of  us  had 
not  previously  realized.  And  one  lesson  taught  by  this  remark- 
able awakening  to  us  who  are  in  the  ministry  of  the  gospel  is  to 
have  faith  in  the  divinely-appointed  means,  and  to  prepare  for, 
and  to  act  in,  the  preaching  of  Christ  crucified,  in  the  full  confi- 
dence that  it  is  the  mode  by  which  men,  whether  Jews  or 
Greeks,  are  to  Be  brought  to  see  in  Christ  the  power  of  God  and 
the  wisdom  of  God.  It  would  be  unpardonable,  in  speaking  of 
this  movement,  not  to  own  that  while  there  has  been  a  prepared- 
ness in  many  hearts  for  its  coming  among  us,  it  has,  under  God, 
been  largely  fostered  and  spread  over  our  country  by  the  remark- 
able labors,  unweary,  untiring,  and  in  full  faith  in  the  Divine 
power  to  change  the  hearts  of  men,  of  the  American  evangelists, 
Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey.  These  gentlemen  in  leaving  our 
shores  will  carry  with  them  the  gratitude  of  many  thousands  of 


BONDS  OF  UNION.  137' 

the  best  of  our  countrymen.  And  it  Is  not  too  much  to  say  that 
they  have  given  a  new  delightful  association  to  pious  Scotchmen 
with  the  name  of  America,  and  have  tended  to  rivet  the  bonds 
of  peace  and  love  between  the  United  States  and  this  kingdom — 
bonds  which  we  pray  the  Prince  of  Peace  will  never  suffer  to  be 
broken." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  WORK  IN  THE  COUNTRY  TOWNS  OF  SCOTLAND. 

Before  following  the  American  laborers  to  the 
less  important  towns  of  Scotland,  it  will  be  proper 
to  take  note  of  the  public  declarations  made  concern- 
ing their  work  after  it  had  been  studied  in  the  two 
great  centers  of  Edinburgh  and  Glasgow.  The  Pres- 
byterian system  of  church  administration  brings 
ministers  and  elders  together  and  affords  opportunity 
for  free  expression  of  opinion.  The  meetings  of 
Synods  and  Assemblies  came  just  at  this  time,  and 
official  reports  and  addresses  made  therein  had  great 
weight  over  the  country. 

The  Free  Church  moderator  devoted  one  third  of 
his  opening  address  to  the  awakening.  He  said  : — 
"  At  the  very  time  when  the  proposal  of  an  incorpo- 
rating union  with  brethren  of  other  churches  seemed 
to  be  relegated  to  a  far  distant  future — when  an 
answer  to  the  many  prayers  that  '  we  all  might  be 
one,  even  as  the  Father  and  the  Son  are  one,'  seemed 


HOPE  FOR   THE  FUTURE.  139 

to  be  withheld — when  pseudo-philosophers,  with  pro- 
fane levity,  were  proposing  a  prayer  gauge,  to  test 
the  efficacy  of  prayer — the  Lord  manifested  Himself 
as  a  faithful  and  a  jealous  God — jealous  for  His  own 
glory  and  faithful  to  His  promises — as  the  hearer 
and  answerer  of  prayer,  by  pouring  out  a  blessed  and 
copious  effusion  of  His  Holy  Spirit  upon  our  land, 
whereby  many  have  been  converted  and  saved,  and  a 
most  solemn  impression  has  been  produced  upon  the 
minds  of  men  of  all  ranks  and  degrees.  The  result 
of  this  blessed  visitation  has  been  the  healing  of 
breaches  among  beloved  brethren,  and  the  producing 
such  union  of  heart  and  co-operation  among  the  godly 
and  earnest-minded  laborers  in  all  our  churches  as 
warrant  the  hope  of  union  on  a  broader  basis  than 
we  had  dreamt  of. 

"  It  has  pleased  God  to  make  use  of  two  strangers 
from  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic  as  the  instru- 
ments through  whom  the  spiritual  awakening  which 
has  gladdened,  and  still  is  gladdening,  many  parts  of 
Scotland,  broke  forth  ;  and  readily  and  heartily,  I 
am  sure,  we  are  ready  to  render  all  due  honor  to  be- 
loved brethren  whom  the  Lord  Himself  has  honored 
— but,  at  the  same  time,  we  must  not  lose  sight  of 


140  BAPTISM  OF  FIRE. 

the  fact,  that  by  these  conferences  in  our  assemblies 
on  the  state  of  religion,  by  the  deputations  sent  down 
to  visit  the  various  Presbyteries  with  the  same  object 
in  view,  and  by  increasing  prayer  and  spiritual  effort 
on  the  part  of  the  ministers,  elders,  deacons,  and 
other  godly  laymen,  the  ground  had  already  been 
prepared,  the  good  seed  had  been  copiously  sown, 
and  all  that  wate  wanting  was  that '  God  should  give 
the  increase.'  Blessed  be  the  Lord  our  God,  for  He 
hath  given  the  increase,  and  many  of  you,  beloved 
brethren,  who  for  many  a  year  6  went  forth  weeping, 
bearing  your  precious  seed,  have  at  last  returned  re- 
joicing, bringing  }rour  sheaves  with  you.' 

"  Rev.  fathers  and  brethren,  there  is  still  another 
aspect  in  which  it  seems  to  me  we  should  regard  the 
blessed  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  awakening  and 
reviving  the  Churches  of  our  land  at  this  time,  and 
that  is  in  the  light  of  i  baptism  with  fire  '  ere  times  of 
trouble  come,  ere  we  are  called  '  to  contend  earnestly 
for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.'  In  look- 
ing back  upon  the  history  of  the  Church  of  Christ, 
we  can  trace  many  instances  in  which  such  '  times  of 
refreshing  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord '  were  the 
preludes  to  seasons  of  warfare  and  distress,  of  storm 


WORK  STUDIED.  141 


and  tempest,  when  men's  hearts  were  ready  to  fail  them 
through  fear,  and  many  made  shipwreck  of  their 
faith.  Surely  this  is  one  aspect  in  which  we  may  re- 
gard the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Ghost  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost,  for  scarcely  had  its  blessed  effects  been 
felt,  than  persecution  of  the  infant  Church  began. 
The  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  and  remarkable  awaken- 
ing that  accompanied  the  great  Reformation  of  the 
sixteenth  century  was  at  once  the  prelude  to  cen- 
turies of  persecution  and  martyrdom,  and  the  prepa- 
ration of  God's  people  for  resisting  unto  blood, 
striving  against  sin." 

The  United  Presbyterian  Synod  includes  and  rep- 
resents a  large  and  zealous  body  of  Scottish  Chris- 
tians, whose  labors  have  effected  much  in  the  land. 
The  moderator  made  reference  to  the  awakening  in 
the  following  terms  : — "  There  is  no  part  of  the 
Synod's  proceedings  that  has  been  so  interesting 
alike  to  yourselves  and  the  Christian  public,  as  the 
conference  on  the  great  religious  revival  and  on  evan- 
gelistic work.  "While  some  brethren  were  perplexed 
by  honest  difficulties  which  explanation  removed,  and 
while  on  the  part  of  none  of  us  was  there  any  dispo- 
sition shown  to  give  a  blind  and  unqualified  approval 


142  SYNODICAL  ACTION. 

to  everything  that  had  been  done  or  spoken,  there 
was  soon  manifested  a  universal  readiness  to  acknowl- 
edge in  the  present  awakening  a  blessed  reality,  and 
to  recognize  in  it  with  adoring  gratitude  the  work  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  There  was  a  tone  of  glad  and 
solemn  interest,  an  eagerness  for  information  and  for 
practical  suggestions,  and  an  earnest  desire  that  the 
blessing  might  spread  like  a  lustral  fire  over  the  land. 
The  hearts  of  the  brethren  beat  warmly  and  in  unison. 
The  comprehensive  and  thorough  nature  of  the 
measures  recommended  by  the  Synod — in  the  send- 
ing of  deputations  to  presbyteries,  the  issuing  of  a 
pastoral  address,  and  the  exhortation  to  every  minis- 
ter and  session  to  seek  revival  in  themselves  and  in 
their  flocks,  and  then  to  make  their  churches  the  center 
of  an  earnest  evangelism  to  the  regions  around  them — 
proves  how  much  the  Synod  has  become  of  one  heart 
and  one  soul  in  this  mighty  movement.  If  the  in- 
junctions of  the  Synod  are  carried  out  with  prayer- 
ful and  persevering  energy,  in  all  our  congregations, 
from  Shetland  to  the  Mull  of  Galloway,  and  from 
Berwick  to  Brighton,  it  will  be  a  blessed  year  for  our 
Church ;  many  a  full  net  will  be  brought  to  land, 
and  long  before  another  Synod  meets,  the  cry  will 


RETURNING  REFRESHED.  143 

have  gone  up  from  many  a  congregation,  '  And  now, 
O  Lord,  we  thank  and  praise  Thy  glorious  name.'  " 
At  the  conclusion  of  the  address,  allusion  is  again 
made  to  the  subject : — "  Xo  doubt  many  of  us  will  go 
away  with  the  recollection  of  the  solemn  death-roll 
which  was  read  at  the  commencement  of  our  meet- 
ings sounding  in  our  ears,  and  with  the  sad  feeling 
that  not  a  few  of  us  shall  be  missed  when  the  time 
of  our  next  great  annual  gathering  returns ;  and 
therefore  the  call  is  loud  to  all  of  us  to  '  work,  work 
in  the  living  present.'  But  1  trust  there  is  another 
feeling  in  our  minds,  that  we  have  been  refreshed, 
as  the  pious  Jews  may  be  imagined  to  have  been  re- 
freshed after  a  great  passover-meeting  in  Jerusalem, 
and  that  we  go  back  to  our  manses  and  our  homes  with 
the  consciousness  that  there  is  a  cloud  of  blessing  hang- 
ing over  our  land,  and  with  the  purpose  that  by  im- 
portunate prayer  and  corresponding  effort  we  shall 
endeavor  to  attract  to  ourselves,  our  congregations, 
and  our  neighborhoods,  a  large  portion  of  the  descend- 
ing showers.  If  this  is  the  spirit  with  which  we 
separate,  it  requires  no  prophet  to  foretell  that  many 
a  time  throughout  the  land  during  the  coming  months 
shall  those  words  be  spoken.  '  Jesus  Christ  being  by 


144  A  HAPPY  CHANGE. 

the  right  hand  of  God  exalted,  and  having  received 
of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  hath 
shed  forth  this  which  ye  now  see  and  hear.' " 

For  zeal,  good  sense,  sanctified  imagination,  and 
power  to  interest,  no  man  is  more  valued  in  Scotland 
than  the  Rev.  W.  Arnot,  of  the  Free  High  Church,  in 
Edinburgh.  As  a  delegate  to  the  English  Presby- 
terian Church,  he  gave  a  most  characteristic  account 
of  Scottish  religious  life,  as  it  had  been  affected  by 
recent  events.     The  report  is  condensed  : 

"  The  country  has  been  greatly  moved,"  he  said, 
"during  this  last  winter  and  spring.  Questions 
regarding  Christ's  love,  in  coming  to  save  us,  re- 
garding His  kingdom  in  the  world,  and  our  own 
union  with  Him,  have  been  forced  up,  and  have  risen 
higher  in  the  common  conversation  of  the  streets  and 
companies,  than  the  question  of  what  must  I  eat  and 
what  must  I  drink.  There  has  been  a  strange  change 
in  this  respect,  and  yet  no  change  of  principle. 

"  We  have  always  been  in  Scotland,  and  especially  in 
Edinburgh,  a  Christianly  educated  people,  and,  on  the 
whole,  a  well-behaved  and  sober  people.  I  will  tell 
you  what  I  once  heard  from  a  railway  guard,  which 
illustrates   my  meaning.     We   were   hindered   at  a 


D IRECT  PRE  A  CIIINO.  145 

station  in  Fife.  The  hour  was  past  for  the  train  to 
start,  and  nobody  could  think  what  was  the  reason  of 
the  delay.  A  gentleman  said,  '  Guard,  what  is  the 
reason  you  are  not  starting?  Is  there  no  water?' 
<  Plenty  o'  water,9  he  replied,  '  but  it's  no  bilin.' 
So  we  had  had  a  religious  education,  and  a  certain 
stateliness  of  ecclesiastical  form  amongst  us  in  Scot- 
land, but  the  water  was  cold,  and  it  did  not  give  forth 
much  power ;  and  the  difference  now  is,  that  there 
has  come  warmth  into  it.  The  love  of  Christ  seems 
to  have  got  hold  of  multitudes  of  human  hearts,  and 
is  constraining  them. 

"  Let  me  notice  one  or  two  points  in  which  there 
has  been  great  advancement.  One  is,  that  in  preach- 
ing, both  in  public  and  in  private  conversation  in  our 
inquiry-meetings,  there  is  a  great  deal  more  practical 
application  of  the  truth  to  each  individual  soul.  I  read, 
when  Philip  met  the  Ethiopian  in  the  desert,  in  the 
short  report  of  the  sermon  on  that  occasion,  two 
things,  '  He  preached  unto  him  Jesus. '  We  had  one 
of  these  things  as  fully  in  Scotland,  I  think,  before,  as 
to-day.  "We  '  preached  Jesus.'  But  we  failed  on  the 
other  side — i  to  himy  Jesus.'  God  has  greatly  blessed 
the  efforts  of  the  American  evangelists  on  that  point. 
7 


146  JOY  IN  GOD. 


And  nobody  takes  it  ill  when  you  speak  personally  to 
him  about  sin,  and  his  interest  in  Christ.  Everybody 
seems  rather  to  expect  that  we  will  so  speak  to 
them. 

"  Formerly  we  seemed  to  have  fired  away  our  shot, 
and  did  it  not  give  a  crack  when  it  went  away  ?  and 
we  thought,  '  Have  not  we  done  it  well  ? '  But  did 
it  hit  the  mark  ?  We  did  not  think  so  much  of  that, 
but  now  equal  attention  is  paid  to  both.  That  is  one 
grand  mark  of  our  movement. 

"  "We  did  not  change  our  creed  at  all.  I  hold  by  that 
still.  But  there  is  one  notion  that  seems  to  have  been 
changed  and  overturned.  Formerly,  for  the  most 
part,  in  Scotland,  we  were  of  the  persuasion  that 
Christ  came  to  receive  saints,  but  now  we  have  be- 
come convinced  that  '  this  Man  receiveth  sinners.' 

"  Of  the  leading  characteristics  of  the  movement,  one 
was  joy.  Many  people,  who  were  dull  enough,  with 
Christianity  in  their  hearts,  but  with  no  outlet  for  it 
in  their  lives,  were  now  finding  ways  of  doing  good. 
This  was  specially  shown  in  the  preaching  of  the  gos- 
pel to  the  poor.  Then  there  was  a  great  use  made  of 
sacred  song.  Many  of  the  Christian  ladies  now  em- 
ployed the  interval  between  the  hours  of  public  wor- 


ENEMIES  A  T  PEA  C  A'.  147 

ship  on  Sunday,  in  going  to  the  hospitals  and  similar 
institutions  in  Edinburgh,  and  singing  hymns  to  the 
poor  patients,  and  there  was  no  joy  like  that  of  see- 
ing the  faces  of  these  people  when  the  gospel  was  sung 
to  them.  In  one  of  these  institutions  there  was  a  poor 
old  woman>4»who  had  been  there  eleven  years,  and 
during  that  time  had  never  spoken  one  word.  Not 
that  she  was  dumb  in  the  ordinary  sense,  but  she  was 
stricken  with  a  sort  of  paralysis.  After  one  of  these 
singings,  the  matron  heard  her  saying  something  to 
herself.  She  went  near  and  listened,  and  she  was 
saying— 

1  Depths  of  mercy,  can  there  be 
Mercy  yet  in  store  for  me  ? ' 

"A  little  girl  was  stricken  with  fever,  and  taken  to 
the  children's  hospital,  where  she  died.  In  her  de- 
lirium, she  said,  and  continued  saying,  '  Take  me  to 
the  meeting,  and  set  me  in  the  front  seat  that  I  may 
hear  the  ladies  sing ! ' 

"  Another  remarkable  effect  was  that  the  enemy  is 
almost  silent.  There  was,  here  and  there,  a  spirit  of 
criticism,  such  as  the  'Comic  Gospel'  of  the  Satur- 
'Jo.'j  Review,  bat  generally  the  press  is  either  silent 
or  speaking  of  the  work  and  reporting  it  respectfully. 


148  INCIDENTAL  DANGER. 

The  Lord  hath  done  this  thing  for  us,  whereof  we  are 
glad." 

In  the  Established  Church  Assembly,  the  notices  of 
the  awakening  from  the  lips  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Char- 
teris,  and  of  the  Rev.  Marshall  Lang,  successor  to  Dr. 
Norman  Macleod,  were  explicit  and  cordial.  They 
both  adverted  to  a  danger  apprehended  from  the  out- 
set, and  of  which  some  notice  had  been  taken  in  the 
official  reports  on  Christian  life  and  work.  Dr.  Char- 
teris  said  "  that,  in  regard  to  the  remarkable  events  of 
the  past  few  months  the  committee  turned  with  special 
expectation  to  the  returns  from  Edinburgh  and  Glas- 
gow, in  which  cities  so  remarkable  an  interest  in 
Divine  things  had  been  recently  manifested.  An 
Edinburgh  minister,  a  member  of  the  Committee,  had 
stated  that  the  experience  of  nearly  five  months,  since 
his  report  was  written,  had  been  the  happiest  and  most 
blessed  that  he  had  had  in  his  ministry.  The  only  evil 
pointed  out  in  those  reports  was  the  tendency  to 
Plymouthism.  The  attraction  which  Plymouth]  sm 
offered  to  young  converts  was  its  claim  to  being  a  pure 
Church.  In  the  ardor  of  their  first  faith  and  love 
those  young  converts  looked  for  some  Church  without 
the  stains  which  came  from  long  contact  with  the 


FORCE  UTILIZED.  149 

world,  and  they  often  found  in  the  small  sect  in  ques- 
tion a  claim  to  spotlessness  which  drew  them  towards 
it  in  a  wonderful  degree.  If  it  could  be  shown  dis- 
tinctly that  the  older  denominations,  if  not,  indeed,  of 
spotless  purity,  could  claim  to  be  ruled  by  the  spirit 
of  the  loving  Redeemer,  and  to  afford  means  of  use- 
fulness to  all,  they  would  rob  that  deceptive  heresy  of 
its  chiefest  charm,  and  keep  within  their  own  congre- 
gations those  whom  they  were  always  most  loath  to 
lose  ;  for  it  was  the  very  salt  of  their  flocks  of  which 
Plymouthism  sought  to  rob  them.  Every  one  was 
aware  of  the  extraordinary  revivals  in  religion  which 
had  been  manifested  in  Glasgow  and  Edinburgh  dur- 
ing the  past  winter  and  spring,  and  the  committee 
were  bound  to  state  that  all  the  returns  which  had 
been  sent  in,  giving  the  results  of  personal  observa- 
tion of  that  movement,  spoke  favorably  of  it,  with 
one  single  exception." 

Rev.  Dr.  Lang  said  that  he  knew  from  the  experi- 
ence of  the  past  Ave  weeks  that  Plymouthism  was  not 
an  imaginary  danger,  and  the  only  way  of  checking  it 
wafl  just  by  welcoming  and  utilizing  all  the  enthu- 
siasm that  was  kindled  in  the  hearts  of  the  young  men 
of  the  Church.   Concerning  the  spiritual  and  religious 


150  ABOUNDING  FRUIT. 

movement  that  lias  lately  been  made  in  the  land,  he 
knew  that  he  was  touching  a  subject  of  considerable 
delicacy,  but  he  could  not  read  the  answers  without 
feeling  satisfied  that  there  was  a  very  distinct  and 
memorable  movement  during  the  past  year.  He  had 
had  the  privilege  of  taking  part  from  the  very  begin- 
ning in  the  work  which  God  had  so  highly  honored, 
and  with  which  were  associated  the  names  of  the  two 
American  brethren  who  had  come  amongst  them.  He 
would  ask  the  house  to  think  respectfully  of  that 
work.  It  was  very  difficult  for  any  one  who  had  not 
been  in  direct  personal  relations  with  it  to  estimate  or 
understand  it.  "  This  I  can  say,  that,  having  been  con- 
nected with  the  work  in  Glasgow  from  the  very  first 
day  of  it  to  the  end,  I  can  feel  that  there  have  been — 
and  on  the  floor  of  the  house  I  am  not  ashamed  to  say 
it — many  tokens  that  God  has  indeed  been  blessing 
the  work.  I  could  tell  of  much  in  proof  of  this. 
I  know  that  Glasgow  has  been  in  many  of  its  homes 
more  joyous  for  the  last  two  or  three  months,  and  that 
in  many  an  old  wilderness  and  solitary  place  there  are 
now  the  peaceable  and  blessed  fruits  of  righteousness. 
I  don't  know  how  you  have  felt,  fathers  and  brethren, 
but  I  have  felt  during  the  past  year  as  if  there  were 


A  PROPHET  A T  HOME.  1 5 1 

an  increased  quickening  of  the  whole  spiritual  forces 
of  our  land,  a  readiness  to  receive  the  gospel,  a  long- 
ing to  come  into  closer  communion  with  the  truth  as 
it  is  in  Jesus." 

Concurrently  with  these  testimonies  in  Scotland, 
the  Scottish  Deputation  to  the  American  Churches, 
reaching  Chicago,  visited  Mr.  Moody's  Tabernacle 
there,  and  made  their  report  to  the  churches  at  home, 
removing  every  shade  of  doubt  as  to  the  estimation 
in  which  the  American  prophets  were  held  "  in  their 
own  country." 

;;  "We  were  much  interested,"  wrote  the  Rev.  J.  H. 
Wilson,  "in  coming  to  the  field  of  Mr.  Moody's 
labors.  We  have  met  with  many  of  the  best  Chris- 
tian people  of  the  place,  ministers  and  laymen,  and 
we  have  heard  but  one  opinion  expressed, — of  entire 
confidence  and  affectionate  regard.  All  speak  of  his 
wonderful  energy  and  zeal  and  devotedness,  and  of 
the  great  results  that  have  attended  his  labors.  They 
long  to  have  him  back  again,  and  are  following  him 
during  his  absence  with  their  prayers.  Only  the 
basement  story  of  his  tabernacle  is  erected  as  yet. 
It  consists  of  a  large  hall,  and  an  admirable  suite  of 
rooms  for  classes,   etc.     I   conducted   the   ordinary 


152  SMALLER  TOWNS. 

Sabbath  forenoon  service,  which  was  attended  by  a 
large  congregation.  In  the  afternoon  we  returned  to 
his  Sabbath-school,  at  which  nine  hundred  or  a  thou- 
sand Sabbath  scholars,  old  and  young,  were  present. 
"We  met  many  of  Mr.  Moody's  friends  and  fellow- 
workers,  who  are  earnest  and  zealous  like  himself. 
If  the  building  were  completed,  I  have  no  doubt  it 
will  be  a  great  center  for  evangelistic  work  in  the 
city.  There  is  much  work  for  our  brother  to  do 
here  ;  and  when  he  has  done  his  work  in  our  land,  he 
cannot  be  back  a  day  too  soon.  He  is  claimed  by  the 
whole  Christian  community  here,  just  as  he  is  in 
Scotland,  and  the  door  seems  open  for  him  every- 
where. All  over  the  country  we  have  met  with  many 
most  attractive  Christian  people.  If  America  is  true 
to  herself,  she  will  occupy  a  foremost  place  in  the 
evangelization  of  the  world." 

In  the  meantime  the  smaller  towns  were  being  vis- 
ited, with  results  which,  without  burdening  the  mem. 
ory  of  the  reader  with  order  and  details,  we  shall 
state  as  they  were  reported  at  the  time  by  highly 
esteemed  brethren,  whose  words  commanded  the  con- 
fidence of  the  community. 


KILMARNOCK.  153 


At  Neilston,  a  town  of  four  thousand  six  hundred 
inhabitants,  nine  miles  from  Glasgow,  a  meeting  was 
held  in  the  evening  in  the  parish  church,  which  was 
crowded  in  every  part.  A  remarkable  instance  of 
the  spirit  of  unity  this  revival  has  produced  was 
afforded  in  the  fact  that  while  the  established  church 
minister  presided,  two  others,  the  Eev.  Mr.  Ferguson, 
of  the  Free  Church,  and  Eev.  Mr.  Clarke,  of  the 
United  Presbyterian  Church,  Barrhead,  took  part  in 
the  service.  This  is  much  the  same  as  if  in  England 
a  Baptist  and  Methodist  minister  were  to  take  part  in 
a  Church  of  England  service  simultaneously  with  the 
rector.  Souls  were  quickened  and  converted.  At 
the  after  meeting,  which  was  held  in  the  Free  Church, 
upwards  of  three  hundred  met  together  as  inquirers 
after  the  way  of  salvation  ;  and  some  were  enabled 
to  express  the  belief  that  they  there  passed  from 
death  to  life.  A  choir  of  ladies  from  Glasgow  as- 
sisted Mr.  Sankey  in  the  singing. 

In  the  Free  Church  Assembly  at  Edinburgh  on 
May  20th,  Sheriff  Campbell  said  that  the  news  from 
Ayrshire  was  very  encouraging.  The  town  of  Kil- 
marnock, for  which  they  had  been  praying  much,  had 
been  visited  by  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankev,  who  did 
7* 


154: 


SALTCOATS. 


not  take  any  part  in  the  ordinary  worship ;  but  they 
had  evangelistic  meetings,  and  the  result  of  these, 
and  other  meetings  from  the  overflow  of  these  con- 
gregations, was  that  they  had  upwards  of  two  hun- 
dred inquirers  in  the  inquiry-room.  He  was  there 
amongst  them  and  he  never  saw  more  promising 
cases  of  conversion.  Those  whom  he  spoke  to  were 
from  fifteen  to  twenty-five  years  of  age,  and  some 
older.  All,  as  far  as  he  could  see,  were  persons  who 
were  most  deeply  impressed,  and  all  that  he  spoke  to 
before  they  parted  said  that  they  had  given  themselves 
to  Christ. 

At  Saltcoats  arrangements  were  made  for  holding 
three  services,  the  first  in  the  parish  church  (Rev.  D. 
E.  M'Nab's)  at  four  o'clock,  afternoon ;  also  in  the 
same  place  at  seven  o'clock,  evening ;  and  in  the 
North  Church  at  the  same  hour. 

At  the  afternoon  service,  admission  to  which  was 
by  ticket,  the  church  was  comfortably  filled  an 
hour  before  the  time  for  opening  the  meeting.  Large 
numbers  of  persons  continued  to  arrive,  who  made 
their  way  into  the  building  and  through  the  passages, 
evidently  satisfied  to  obtain  even  standing  room. 
Every  inch  of  space  in  the  sacred  edifice  was  packed 


COME  AXD  HELP.  155 

long  prior  to  four  o'clock,  and  probably  there  never 
^as  assembled  so  large  a  congregation  in  any  church 
in  Saltcoats.  A  considerable  number  were  unable  to 
obtain  admission.  A  large  number  of  persons  had 
come  from  the  towns  and  villages  in  the  district  to 
attend  the  services. 

The  inhabitants  of  Irvine,  which  contains  a  popula- 
tion of  eight  thousand,  having  heard  of  the  presence 
of  the  American  evangelists  in  their  neighborhood, 
hastened  to  send  a  deputation  to  them  in  Saltcoats 
on  Monday,  to  solicit  the  holding  of  at  least  one  ser- 
vice by  them  in  the  parish  church  at  Irvine.  "With 
this  entreaty  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  complied. 
They  arrived  on  their  visit,  which  may  well  be  described 
as  a  flying  one,  in  time  for  meeting  at  twelve,  noon. 
There  was  a  large  attendance  in  the  church,  although 
a  more  unfortunate  day  could  not  have  been  chosen, 
as  the  streets  were  full  of  conveyances,  and  furniture, 
and  excited  individuals,  it  being  Term  day,  or  Flit- 
ting day,  for  the  change  of  residences. 

Ayr,  a  town  of  nineteen  thousand  inhabitants,  forty 
miles  from  Glasgow,  was  next  reached.  The  meeting 
w&fl  :tt  four  p.  m.,  in  the  Old  Church,  a  fine  old  com- 
modious building,  which  was  filled  an  hour  befprehan  I 


156  REV.  MR.  LEITGH. 

by  a  great  audience  of  about  two  thousand  people, 
comprising  many  of  the  leading  persons  of  the  neigh- 
borhood. Many  were  unable  to  gain  admission  from 
want  of  room.  A  number  of  ministers  of  all  denom- 
inations were  present,  some  having  come  a  distance 
of  thirty  miles.  It  is  remarkable  how  the  co-opera- 
tion of  the  clergy  has  been  everywhere  given  to  these 
evangelists.  The  interval  of  waiting  between  three 
and  four  p.  m.,  was  occupied  by  the  reading  of  por- 
tions of  Scripture,  and  by  prayer  by  some  of  the  min- 
isters. A  very  efficient  choir  sang  extremely  well 
some  of  Mr.  Sankey's  hymns.  The  large  audience 
manifested  marked  anxiety  to  see  the  expected  visit- 
ors from  America,  by  keeping  their  vision  concen- 
trated on  the  vestry  door,  but  kept  their  seats  and 
maintained  a  proper  demeanor. 

After  entering  the  church,  accompanied  by  many 
clergymen,  Mr.  Moody  gave  out  the  One  Hundredth 
Psalm,  which  was  sung  congregational^.  He  then 
prayed;  and  the  hymn  "  Once  for  all"  was  then  sung 
by  Mr.  Sankey,  with  great  feeling  and  expression — 
the  words  being  heard  clearly  in  the  most  distant  part 
of  the  church.     Mr.  Moody's  discourse  followed. 

Of  the  visit  to  Kilmarnock,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Leitch 


WORKERS  ESrCOXTRAQED.  157 

writes,  "Their  coming  was  eagerly  looked  for,  and 
many  a  prayer  was  offered  that  they  might  come  in 
the  fullness  of  the  blessing  of  the  gospel.  They  held 
three  meetings  during  the  day — all  apart  from  the 
ordinary  church  services.  In  the  morning,  at  half- 
past  eight,  a  special  meeting  was  held  for  office- 
bearers and  other  chtireh  workers  in  the  Low  Church. 
Admission  was  by  ticket,  and  1,750  were  present. 
Mr.  Sankey,  accompanied  by  a  number  of  ladies,  led 
the  service  of  song:  his  singing  was  fraught  with 
great  power,  and  produced  deep  impression.  Mr. 
M  >ody  spoke  on  the  words  '  Occupy  till  I  come,'  di- 
recting particular  attention  to  the  '  feeding  of  the 
lambs.'  Seldom  has  any  audience  been  more  im- 
pressed :  for  more  than  an  hour  he  held  them  spell- 
bound as  he  discoursed  on  Christian  work.  Many  a 
heart  and  conscience  must  have  been  stirred  as  he  ex- 
horted his  hearers  to  work  for  the  Master.  When  it 
is  remembered  that  the  large  audience  was  composed 
of  workers  not  only  from  Kilmarnock,  but  from  dis- 
tricts miles  distant  from  town,  it  will  at  once  be 
seen  that  the  influence  of  such  a  meeting  will  be  far- 
reaching  and  widespread." 

At  Irvine  next  day  the  church  was  full,  though  it 


158  ATE. 

was  term  day,  and  though  the  intimation  of  their 
coming  was  given  but  a  few  hours  before.  As 
the  brethren  were  on  their  way  to  Ayr,  they  could 
not  tarry  for  an  after-meeting,  but  the  ministers  of 
the  town  arranged  to  have  a  united  meeting  in  the 
evening. 

Of  Ayr,  the  Kev.  John  Miller,  Newton-on-Ayr, 
reports :  "  In  the  month  of  February  we  were  fa- 
vored with  a  visit  from  Sheriff  Campbell  and  Mr. 
Brown  Douglas  of  Edinburgh ;  and  to  the  solemn 
accounts  which  they  gave  of  the  work  in  the  city,  not 
a  little  of  the  impulse  given  to  the  cause  is  due. 
Subsequent  visits  by  Mr.  Mossman  and  a  deputation 
from  the  young  men's  committee  in  Edinburgh,  to- 
gether with  occasional  addresses  by  the  Sheriff,  pro- 
duced blessed  and  widespread  results. 

"  On  Tuesday,  26th  May  (1874),  Messrs.  Moody  and 
Sankey  visited  the  town.  Great  interest  had  been 
excited,  and  from  all  the  districts  round  multitudes 
came  in  hope  of  hearing  them.  The  Old  Church — 
the  largest  in  town — was  selected,  and  long  before 
the  hour  of  meeting  was  densely  packed.  About 
eighteen  hundred  people  must  have  been  present. 
Shortly  after  the  hour  Mr.  Moody  arrived,  and  gave  an 


"  110  USEIIOLDS  APj IBT."  159 

intensely  interesting  address.  From  beginning  to  end 
the  deepest  solemnity  pervaded  the  meeting,  while  not 
a  few  were  melted  to  tears.  An  effect  no  less  striking 
was  produced  by  Mr.  Sankey's  singing ;  and  as  we 
left  the  building,  it  was  with  the  full  conviction  that 
the  Lord  had  been  with  us  of  a  truth. 

"  In  the  evening,  at  seven  o'clock,  the  same  building 
was  crowded  again — Mr.  Muodv  delivering  a  still 
more  powerful  address.  For  the  overflow,  Cathcart 
Street  United  Presbyterian  Church  was  opened,  and 
an  address  of  a  telling  nature  delivered  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Sloan  of  Aberdeen.  All  who  wished  to  be  spoken 
to  about  spiritual  things  were  requested  to  go  to  the 
Free  Church,  and  the  meeting  was  closed.  Great 
care  was  taken  to  allow  no  one  to  enter  save  as  an 
anxious  inquirer,  and  it  was  found  that  upwards  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty  had  come  in. 

"  One  marked  feature  of  the  work  is  the  number  of 
Christian  families  into  which  the  blessing  has  come. 
Of  course  this  was  looked  for,  but  the  extent  to 
which  it  prevails  has  far  surpassed  all  expectation. 
In  some  families  there  are  four  who  profess  to  have 
received  a  blessing,  in  several  three,  in  others  two, 
and  so  on  ;  while  in  a  few,    every  member  of  the 


160  STIRLING. 


household  professes  to  have  found  the  Saviour.  '  Oh, 
sir,'  said  one  to  me  the  other  day,  '  this  is  a  changed 
house  now.  We  used  to  think  that  if  we  went  to 
church  and  read  our  Bibles,  and  taught  the  little  girl 
to  say  her  prayers,  it  was  all  right.  But  oh,  sir,  all 
that  is  changed  now.'  " 

The  historic  town  of  Stirling,  picturesque,  active, 
and  for  many  years  identified  with  a  useful  Tract 
enterprise,  conducted  by  Mr.  P.  Drummond,  was  next 
approached.  How  natural  is  the  state  of  things  here 
described  : 

"  The  Erskine  United  Presbyterian  Church  was 
crowded  long  before  the  advertised  time  of  com- 
mencement. As  is  frequently  the  case  at  the  first 
meeting  in  a  place,  curiosity  rather  than  a  serious 
interest  predominated.  This  can  hardly  be  blamed 
on  the  part  of  those  who  have  heard  and  read  so 
much  of  the  American  evangelists,  and  are  at  first 
anxious  to  ascertain  what  manner  of  persons  they  are. 
There  was  an  observable  change  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  meeting.  The  gates  were  locked  after 
the  church  was  filled,  and  the  overflow  directed  to 
Mr.  Goldie's  (Free  South)  Church.  While  Mr.  San- 
key  sang  some  of  his  most  impressive  hymns, c  Almost 


PERTH.  161 


persuaded,'  and  the  new  '  There  were  ninety-and 
nine,'  there  was  the  hushed  attention  which  showed 
not  mere  artistic  gratification,  but  deep  heart  feeling. 
Mr.  Moody  preached  an  hour  on  '  Ye  must  be  born 
again,'  and  riveted  the  audience.  The  service  was 
conducted  in  the  other  church  by  Rev.  Mr.  Park- 
hnrst,  from  Chicago,  then  traveling  in  Europe. 
There  was  a  fair  after  meeting  at  nine  o'clock  in  the 
smaller  church.  Many  of  the  inquirers  seemed 
clearly  to  make  their  peace  with  God." 

The  noon  prayer-meeting  in  Dr.  Beith's  church, 
presided  over  by  Mr.  Parkhurst,  and  Mr.  Moody's 
Bible-reading  to  an  immense  audience  in  the  Erskine 
Church  at  three  o'clock  on  Thursday,  closed  the  ser- 
vices in  Stirling. 

Perth,  Aberdeen,  and  Inverness  are  the  northern 
capitals  of  Scotland,  and  their  influence  is  widely 
felt.  More  time  therefore  was  given  to  them  than 
the  less  important  towns  just  noticed,  and  in  which 
good  work  was  already  in  progress.  The  prepara- 
tion and  expectation  in  Perth  had  been  earnest  and 
decided. 

Koon-day  prayer-meetings  and  evangelistic  meet- 
ings had  been  commenced,  and  continued  for  twenty 


162  GROWING  LEAL. 


weeks,  and  God  gave  many  drops  of  blessing  during 
that  time.  There  was  a  cheering  work  amongst  the 
children.  Professor  Martin,  from  Aberdeen,  had  held 
meetings  for  five  weeks,  and  in  these  meetings  many 
little  ones  gave  their  hearts  to  Jesus. 

It  was  resolved  to  make,  for  one  month,  a  strenuous 
effort  to  win  the  older  people  to  Christ  by  holding 
evangelistic  services  every  night  in  the  week,  Sat- 
urday excepted.  During  that  month  Messrs.  Moody 
and  Sankey  appeared. 

A  meeting  on  Friday  evening,  addressed  by  the 
Rev.  J.  J.  Black,  LL.  D.,  of  Inverness  Free  High 
Church  and  Mr.  Robertson,  of  Newington,  prepared 
the  way.  Mr.  Moody  had  been  called  to  Edinburgh 
by  the  sickness  of  his  child,  but  Mr.  Sankey  was 
present. 

On  Sunday  morning  a  meeting  was  held  for 
"  Christian  Workers  and  those  disposed  to  work," 
when  the  City  Hall  was  crowded.  Mr.  Sankey  sang 
"  Go  work  in  my  vineyard,"  that  large  congregation 
listening  with  glistening  eyes,  and  hearts  kindled  anew 
in  love  to  Jesus  and  a  desire  to  work  more  diligently 
for  Him  who  suffered  so  much  for  us. 

In  the  evening  there  were  meetings  in  the  open 


OLD  MEMORIES.  163 

air  on  the  South  Inch  (at  which  between  four  thou- 
sand and  live  thousand  people  were  present)  and 
in  the  City  Hal],  with  overflow-meetings  in  two 
churches. 

There  followed  the  noon-day  meetings  in  the  City 
Hall,  Bible  reading  in  the  Free  West  Church,  and 
evening  meeting  in  the  Xorth  United  Presbyterian 
Church.  The  number  of  inquirers  was  very  great, 
and  very  many  obtained  peace.  "  It  has  been  "  says  a 
writer  in  the  Christian,  u  a  quiet  strong  tide  of  bless- 
ing ;  it  is  as  if  God  had  sent  His  servants  to  unlock 
the  flood-gates  of  His  grace,  and  the  water  of  life 
has  swept  out  in  deep  and  steady  currents,  leaving  no 
place  for  the  breaking  waves  of  excitement  and  mere 
feeling.  Especially  this  is  to  be  noticed  in  the  Bible- 
readings,  when  from  day  to  day  the  large  church  in 
which  Mr.  Moody  lectures  is  crowded  with  people 
reverently  and  simply  studying  God's  Word." 

Mrs.  Barbour,  of  whose  account  of  the  movement 
in  Edinburgh  we  have  availed  ourselves,  thus  writes 
of  the  meetings  in  Perth :  "  It  was  on  Sabbath 
morning  that  Mr.  Moody  and  Mr.  Sankey  began 
work  together  at  9  a.  m.,  in  the  City  Hall.  The 
many  memories  that  came  crowding  in  of  former 


164  OLD  DISCIPLES. 


years  of  blessing  corresponded  with  the  looks  upon 
the  faces  of  the  eager,  earnest,  half-restless  multitude. 
There  was  a  rim  left  beyond  the  crowd  during  the 
first  ten  minutes;  and  to  those  corners  of  the  hall 
where  the  hearing  is  not  so  good  when  ordinary 
speakers  occupy  the  platform,  groups,  hot  and  tired 
from  a  long  morning's  walk,  were  noiselessly  moving. 
Some  had  left  their  homes  at  eight,  seven,  six,  five, 
and  even  at  four  to  be  there.  Although  the  mass  of 
the  faces  were  strangers  to  us,  individuals  gathered 
in  during  each  special  visitation  of  God's  love  to 
Perth,  were  easily  recognized.  !Not  a  few,  with  the 
marks  of  age  and  toil,  and  new  joy  upon  their  faces, 
belonged  to  the  ever  memorable  epoch  of  1840,  when 
William  Burns  was  so  wondrously  used  among  us. 
From  far  and  near  they  assembled  that  morning. 
Fruits  of  Eobert  McCheyne's  ministry  were  there. 
The  spirit  of  Mr.  Milne,  of  St.  Leonard's,  breathed 
still  so  freshly  in  his  flock,  and  in  the  town,  that  we 
cannot  put  his  name  yet  among  those  that  have 
passed  away.  Sturdy  men,  unflinching  in  service, 
the  seals  of  faithful  evangelists,  were  there.  And  the 
whole  scene,  how  it  recalled  Reginald  RadclifTe,  as 
though   we    had    but   to   look   half    round    to  find 


THE  CLOUD  0 VERHEAD.  165 

him  !  Best  of  all,  the  dear  ministers  of  Perth,  newly 
baptized  with  power,  stood  there  ready  to  forward 
the  work,  and  bind  the  sheaves." 

The  Kev.  Mr.  Parkhnrst,  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  and 
the  Pev.  Mr.  Spencer,  also  from  Illinois,  were  able 
to  give  efficient  aid  here.  The  weather  was  unfavor- 
able to  open  air  meetings,  which  in  Perth  had  been 
attended  with  much  blessing  in  former  years,  particu- 
larly in  I860  ;  but  "  The  blesssed  Spirit  of  Promise, 
who  is  drawing  to  himself  all  hope,  all  confidence, 
as  the  alone  able  to  glorify  Jesus,  was  powerfully 
working  in  some  hearts.  The  cloud,  as  of  a  man's 
hand,  was  in  the  sky  of  that  sweet  summer's  eve,  and 
as  the  many  melted  and  humbled  servants  of  the 
King  withdrew  from  the  places  of  inquiry,  they 
silently  adored  the  Mighty  One,  and  saw  Him  already 
going  forth  conquering  and  to  conquer. 

"  At  night  Mr.  Moody  preached  on  '  Son,  remem- 
ber.' Many  a  conscience  was  pierced ;  many  a 
lingerer  arrested ;  many  a  believer's  soul  stirred  to 
the  lowest  depths,  as  we  were  made  to  lean  over  the 
precipice  and  look  down  to  the  pit  of  despair.  You 
felt  as  if  you  would  rather  not  hear  the  speaker  or 
any  one  else  preach  for  long,  lest  by  any  means  the 


166        GO  NEARER  THE  PEOPLE. 

lines  drawn  on  the  heart  by  God's  Spirit  should  be 
effaced  from  the  tablet  within." 

The  inquiry  meeting  had  become  so  well-marked  a 
feature  of  the  movement  that  Mr.  Moody  made  it 
the  subject  of  an  address  in  which  its  aims  and  uses 
were  set  forth.  "  I  am  more  and  more  convinced 
every  day,"  said  he,  "  that  one  of  the  hindrances  to  a 
greater  work  of  grace  in  our  churches  is  the  barrier 
that  seems  in  such  a  degree  to  exist  between  the  pas- 
tor and  people,  and  the  consequent  stiffness  and 
formality  which  prevent  the  people  from  coming  to 
the  pastor  with  their  troubles  or  to  seek  spiritual  ad- 
vice. 

"I  believe  the  preaching  would  be  much  more 
practical  and  effective  if  the  minister  understood 
more  of  the  difficulties  of  those  to  whom  he  minis- 
ters, and  I  have  found  no  greater  help  in  discovering 
the  wants  of  the  people  than  in  the  inquiry  meeting, 
right  after  the  preaching  of  the  word.  Jesus  en- 
couraged His  disciples  to  ask  Him  questions,  saying 
to  them  'Have  ye  understood  all  these  things?' 
(Matt.  xiii.  51.)  I  feel  confident  that  if  the  pastor 
invited  his  people  to  come  freely  to  him  with  their 
questions,  setting  aside  a  special  time  for  them  to 


LET  TEEM  ASK.  167 


come,  they  would  feel  more  free  to  accept  than  if  left 
to  come  at  any  time,  though  they  might,  of  course, 
be  invited  to  do  that  also. 

"  A  few  years  ago  I  lost  my  way  in  London,  and 
was  glad  to  have  a  c shoeblack'  direct  rne  aright. 
Many  now  are  on  the  wrong  road,  and  they  know  it, 
and  yet  are  ashamed  to  go  to  any  one  to  ask  the  right 
way.  May  they  not  be  made  to  feel  that  their  pastor, 
with  other  Christian  friends  who  have  walked  in 
"Wisdom's  ways  and  found  them  ways  of  pleasantness, 
are  ready  to  point  to  them  also  the  way  ? 

"  If  Christ  encouraged  the  people  to  come  to  Him 
and  inquire  of  his  kingdom,  should  they  not  now  be 
encouraged  to  come  and  speak  of  Him  ?  On  the  day 
of  Pentecost  we  read  of  a  great  cry  being  made  by 
many  who  had  been  pricked  by  the  words  preached 
through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  '  Men  and 
brethren,  what  shall  we  do?'  The  three  thousand 
added  to  the  Church  that  day  show  the  result  of  the 
inquiry.  The  thought  has  risen  in  our  minds,  what 
would  some  of  those  who  oppose  the  inquiry  meeting 
do  should  one  hundred  make  the  same  inquiry  now  ? 

"  Can  we  doubt  that  God  sent  Philip  into  the 
desert  that  he  might  meet  the  eunuch  and  explain  to 


168  EXPECT  SUCCESS. 

him  that  he  whom  Isaiah  had  named  '  the  sheep  led  to 
the  slaughter '  was  this  same  Jesus  who  had  been 
crucified  ?  We  read  that  he  '  be^an  at  the  same 
Scripture  and  preached  unto  him  Jesus.'  "We  can 
imagine  many  other  ways  in  which  the  eunuch  might 
have  been  reached — even  by  sending  an  angel  from 
heaven  ;  but  God  allows  Philip  the  honor  of  point- 
ing this  inquirer  to  the  finished  work  of  Christ. 
Would  an  inquirer  now,  with  the  same  53d  chapter 
of  Isaiah,  find  the  way  made  plain  if  applying  for 
help  to  some  of  those  boasting  of  the  '  broad '  plat- 
form on  which  they  stand,  and  yet  being  called  by 
His  name. 

"  I  am  frequently  asked,  '  How  often  should  we 
have  inquiry  meetings,  and  should  they  be  on  ordinary 
occasions  ? '  I  see  no  reason  why  they  should  not.  I 
believe  we  should  expect  conversions  every  time  we 
preach  the  gospel ;  but  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  I 
would  distinguish  from  the  preaching  of  the  word  to 
Christians  for  their  edification  and  establishment  in 
the  truth.  But  when  Christ  has  been  preached  and 
offered  freely,  should  we  not  expect  some  to  accept, 
and  therefore  give  the  opportunity  to  those  who 
would  hear  more  to  come  and  ask  ? 


FOLLOWING  IT  UP.  169 

"  The  question  also,  who  should  be  admitted  into  a 
general  inquiry  meeting  to  talk  to  the  anxious  has 
often  been  asked.  I  believe  if  the  church  has  been 
properly  instructed,  one  half  of  them  ought  to  be 
able  to  point  an  inquiring  one  to  Jesus.  A  man  or 
woman  whose  heart  is  warm  with  love  to  the  Sa- 
viour, and  can  give  a  reason  for  their  hope,  ought  to 
be  encouraged  to  go  and  speak  to  others.  I  know  of 
no  kind  of  work  which  quickens  a  church  so  much  as 
work  among  inquirers." 

The  closing  labors  at  Perth  are  thus  described : 
u  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  have  gone  from  us,  and 
we  must  turn  now  from  the  glad,  calm,  mountain- 
heights,  to  bear  to  those  who  are  yet  in  the  valley 
the  tidings  of  the  water  of  life,  of  which  we  have 
been  drinking  so  deeply  in  the  past  ten  days.  In  the 
dust  of  the  conflict  we  shall  look  on  this  time  even  as 
David  looked  back  to  the  '  water  of  the  well  of  Beth- 
lehem.' God  grant  that,  even  as  he  poured  forth 
that  blood-bought  water,  an  offering  unto  the  Lord, 
we  may  with  willing  hands  hold  forth  the  cup  of  liv- 
ing water,  blood-bought  too  for  us. 

"Mr.  Moody's  Bible-readings  came  to  an  end  on 
Friday,  the  5th,  but  two  days  of  busy  work  yet  re- 


170  IN  THE  OPEN  AIR. 

mained  before  he  left  us  for  Dundee.  On  Sunday, 
the  7th,  there  was  another  meeting  for  Christian 
workers,  at  which  the  City  Hall  was  again  crowded. 
Much  precious  counsel  Mr.  Moody  gave — counsel 
which  came  straight  from  an  enthusiastic  and  devoted 
heart,  yet  never  failed  to  be  practical  and  clear. 

"  At  eleven  o'clock  he  preached  at  the  usual  fore- 
noon service  in  the  Free  West  Church,  taking  for  his 
subject,  '  The  love  of  God  ; '  and  in  the  evening  there 
was  the  meeting  on  the  South  Inch,  for  which  all 
day  long,  prayer  had  been  going  up  to  the  throne  of 
grace.  The  evening  was  one  of  rare  beauty;  and 
when  Mr.  Sankey's  voice  was  heard  leading  the  well- 
known  tune  of  the  One  Hundredth  Psalm,  it  was 
1  with  cheerful  voice '  that  the  people  followed, 
while  the  mountains  around  and  the  trees  overhead 
seemed  also  to  join  in  the  song — • 

'  For  why  ?    The  Lord  our  God  is  good ; 

His  mercy  ia  for  ever  sure  ; 
His  truth  at  all  times  firmly  stood, 
And  shall  from  age  to  age  endure/ 

"  It  is  difficult  to  compute  the  numbers  of  a  crowd 
standing  so  closely  packed  as  this  gathering  was,  but 
not  fewer  than  seven  thousand  must  have  been  with- 


LEA  VE-TAKING.  171 


in  the  range  of  Mr.  Moody's  voice  ;  while  on  the  out- 
skirts, where  even  his  voice  could  not  reach,  the 
words  of  sacred  song  may  have  carried  conviction 
and  comfort  to  many.  Between  six  and  seven  o'clock 
the  meeting  was  dismissed,  and  the  people  slowly 
dispersed,  many  of  them  to  attend  one  of  the  other 
meetings  which  were  still  to  be  held  that  evening. 

"At  the  children's  meeting  there  was  an  unusually 
large  attendance.  Many  of  the  little  ones  who  had 
given  their  hearts  to  Jesus  during  the  week  had 
brought  their  companions  to  seek  Him. 

"  Mr.  Parkhurst  also  had  a  good  meeting  in  the  City 
Hall,  and  at  the  Xorth  United  Presbyterian  Church, 
where  Mr.  Moody  spoke,  and  whither  many  had 
gone  voluntarily  declaring  themselves  unconverted. 
Very  many  found  peace  that  night. 

"  On  Monday  we  had  the  usual  noon  prayer-meet- 
ing, at  which  Mr.  Moody  and  Mr.  Sankey  were  both 
present ;  and  in  the  evening  a  meeting  for  young 
converts,  and  the  usual  evangelistic  meeting,  at  which 
Mr.  Parkhurst  for  the  last  time  presided.  Mr.  San- 
key was  also  present  for  a  short  time,  according  to 
his  usual  plan  before  going  to  the  meeting  at  which 
Mr.  Moody  was  speaking.     His  parting  message  to 


172  CONVERTS'  MEETING. 

that  assembly  was  breathed  in  the  low,  sad  tones  of 
*  Nothing  bnt  Leaves.'  His  last  soag  to  the  young 
converts  was  in  the  stirring  notes  of  '  Only  an  Ar- 
mor-bearer.' Mr.  Moody  had  spoken  solemnly  and 
earnestly  of  the  dangers  which  lay  before  them  in 
their  upward  journey,  but,  withal,  so  soul- stirringly 
of  the  glory  to  follow,  that  this  song  was  felt  to  be 
the  expression  of  many  a  young  heart's  devotion,  and 
there  were  many  whose  spirits  sang  with  Mr.  San- 
key's  lips — 

'  Heard  ye  the  battle  cry  ?     "  Forward  ! "  the  call. 
See,  see  the  faltering  ones  !     Backward  they  fall. 
Surely  my  Captain  will  remember  me, 
Though  but  an  armor-bearer  I  may  be.' 

"  Before  closing  Mr.  Moody  suggested  that  there 
should  be  a  young  converts'  meeting  every  Monday 
evening,  as  there  is  already  in  many  places.  Once 
more  they  were  commended  to  His  care  '  who  is  able 
to  keep  us  from  falling,'  and  then  came  the  inquiry 
meeting,  which  that  night  seemed  to  be  a  specially 
solemn  and  sacred  time. 

"  Now  God's  servants  have  gone  from  us,  but  the 
fruit  of  their  labor  remains.  They  have  been  as 
scythes  in  the  Master's  hand,  to  mow  down,  in  swift 
and  steady  strokes,  '  the  bearded  grain  and  the  flow- 


THE  TEST  OF  TIME.  173 

ers  that  grow  between.'  May  God  grant  that  mow- 
ers and  reapers  may  be  raised  up  in  our  midst,  and 
that  what  has  been  already  mown  may  be  gathered 
in  and  cared  for !  He  is  able  to  make  this  but  the 
first-fruits  of  the  harvest ;  He  is  able  to  make  even 
'the  gleaning  of  the  grapes  of  Ephraim  better  than 
the  vintage  of  Abi-ezer.'  " 

From  Perth  a  second  visit  was  made  to  Dundee,  of 
which  Mr.  McPherson  gives  the  following  details  in 
the  Christian  of  June  18th,  1874: 

"  This  second  visit  has  been  much  appreciated,  and 
has  given  a  fresh  impulse  to  the  work.  It  has  also 
served  to  make  it  abundantly  evident  that  the  work 
of  grace  has  been  going  on  quietly  and  steadily 
in  this  town  and  neighborhood  during  recent 
months.  The  ordinary  channels  of  worship  and  work 
are  full  of  the  river  of  God — in  some  cases,  indeed, 
full  to  overflowing.  The  pulse  of  Christian  life  in 
this  city  is  beating  more  strongly  and  healthfully 
than  it  has  done  for  many  a  day.  It  is  now  plain 
enough  that  the  blessing  will  be  largely  permanent 
and  abundantly  productive.  A  thousand  earnest 
souls  are  longing  and  praying  for  greater  and  still 
greater  things.     The  impetus  given  to  Christian  work 


174  "0  UT  OF  THE  MO  JJTH  OF  BABES." 

in  all  its  departments  can  scarcely  be  overestimated. 
This  is  especially  true  in  regard  to  work  among  the 
young.  During  the  last  three  months  many  of  the 
little  ones  have  been  carried  away  by  scarlatina. 
Many  death-bed  scenes,  full  of  interest  and  instruc- 
tion, have  been  witnessed.  I  have  often  of  late 
heard  the  children  in  their  last  moments  speak  of 
the  things  of  God  with  an  intelligence  and  a  simplic- 
ity of  faith  which  has  been  both  a  lesson  and  a  re- 
proof to  older  Christians.  Beyond  measure  affecting 
is  it  to  hear  the  little  ones  sing  their  sweet  gospel 
hymns  with  their  dying  breath.  <  Oh,  mother,  how  I 
wish  you  were  going  with  me ! '  said  a  little  girl  the 
other  day  as  she  lay  dying.  '  I  cannot  go  with  you, 
dear,'  replied  the  mother;  ' Jesus  wants  you  to  go 
alone  to  Him.'  i  Going  to  Jesus,'  repeated  the  child 
twice,  as  if  pondering  the  full  significance  of  the 
word.  Then,  after  a  pause,  she  said  she  was  satisfied, 
adding,  ' Mother,  you  will  come  by  and  by.'  She 
then  sang,  '  Jesus  loves  even  me,'  and  died. 

"The'  young  doves  are  flying  to  their  windows. 
There  is  sorrow  in  many  a  home  here ;  but  I  have 
never  before  seen  so  much  joy  and  praise  in  the 
midst  of  bereavement  and   trouble.      As  the  little 


LABORERS  WANTED.  175 

saved  children  go  in  at  the  gates  singing,  fathers  and 
mothers  are  catching  glimpses  of  the  glory,  and  wish- 
ing they  were  in  too." 

There  is  necessarily  much  uniformity  in  the  modes 
of  operation  in  the  various  cities.  Mr.  Moody's  plan 
usually  included  a  meeting  at  the  very  outset  for  the 
"  Christian  workers  "  and  all  who  were  willing  to  be 
employed.  Then  followed  vivid  presentations  of 
vital  truth  on  such  Scripture  words  as  "  There  is  no 
difference,"  "The  Two  Adams,"  or  "Sinners'  Ex- 
cuses," and  direct  and  faithful  dealing  with  men's 
souls.  «tf 

Thus  it  was  at  Aberdeen.  The  labors  of  the  evan- 
gelists commenced  on  Sabbath,  the  14th,  by  a  nine 
o'clock  meeting  for  Christian  workers,  admission  by 
ticket.  There  were  three  thousand  issued,  and  the 
Music  Hall  was  quite  filled,  every  available  place  being 
occupied,  either  sitting  or  standing.  The  singing  of  the 
Hundredth  Psalm  opened  the  proceedings,  after  which 
the  Rev.  T.  Gardiner,  Old  Aberdeen  Free  Church, 
engaged  in  prayer.  Mr.  Moody  then  rose,  and,  after 
reading  a  short  portion  of  Scripture,  spoke  for  about 
three  quarters  of  an  hour  from  the  text,  "Here  am  I; 
send  me."     Mr.  Sankey,  assisted  by  a  most  efficient 


176  AT  ABERDEEN. 


choir  of  male  and  female  voices,  effectively  rendered 
several  hymns,  among  which  the  principal  were, 
"  Hark,  the  Yoice  of  Jesus  Calling,"  "  Go,  work  in 
my  Vineyard,"  and  "Nothing  but  Leaves."  The 
meeting  was  a  most  solemn  one,  and  the  audience  was 
most  attentive. 

The  evening  meeting,  at  5  p.  m.,  was  on  the  Links, 
in  the  natural  amphitheatre  of  the  Broadhill,  where  a 
platform  had  been  erected  for  choir  and  speakers.  It 
was  here  that  the  deep  interest  in  these  gentlemen — 
arising,  of  course,  from  mixed  feelings  of  curiosity 
and  desire  to  know  more  of  that  better  way  of  which 
they  speak — showed  itself.  One  may  be  allowed  to 
say  that  the  town  was  moved  to  come,  and  see,  and 
hear.  Some  ten  thousand  were  in  position  before 
and  around  the  platform  long  before  the  hour  of 
meeting ;  and  yet  from  before  five  till  past  six  there 
were  continuous  streams  of  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren, from  the  city,  Footdee,  "Woodside,  Old  Aber- 
deen, and  as  far  as  Dyce,  flowing  to  the  one  point  on 
the  Broadhill.  There  could  not  have  been  fewer 
than  twenty  to  twenty-two  thousand  on  the  Links 
that  evening.  Mr.  Moody  spoke  from  the  words, 
u  The  wages  of  sin  is  death,"  and  was  listened  to  with 


TUB  CITY  MO  VED.  177 

rapt  attention,  while  the  hymns  were  distinctly  heard 
over  the  vast  crowds  in  the  stillness  of  a  quiet  summer 
evening. 

The  next  meeting  was  announced  for  eight,  in  the 
Music  Hall,  but  it  being  filled  before  seven,  Mr. 
Moody  began  at  that  hour.  Prayer  was  led  by  Mr. 
Walter,  of  Free  Trinity  Church,  Mr.  Moody  speaking 
on  the  subject  of  the  prodigal  son.  There  was  much 
power.  The  chief  hymns  were.  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth," 
"  Come  Home,"  and  "Almost  Persuaded."  There  were 
many  inquirers.  The  crowd  outside  was  very  great, 
and  Free  West  Trinity  and  the  Baptist  Chapel,  Crown 
street,  had  to  be  opened,  and  were  more  or  less  filled; 
while  several  ministers  conducted  an  open-air  service 
in  one  of  the  squares.  "  We  have  never  at  any  time, 
I  may  say,  seen  the  city  so  moved  as  it  was  this  day." 

The  next  day,  Monday,  the  meeting  was  in  the 
South  Parish  Church,  and  a  prayer-meeting  at  3  p.  m. 
Amongst  the  audience  there  were  between  twenty 
and  thirty  ministers  of  various  denominations.  Pend- 
ing the  arrival  of  the  evangelists,  various  hymns  were 
sung  by  a  choir  which  has  been  organized  to  assist 
Mr.  Sankey  in  singing. 

Two   hours  before  the  time  announced  for  com- 


178  ENEMIES  VANQUISHED. 

mencing  the  evening  meeting  in  the  South  Parish 
Church,  a  crowd  had  gathered  at  the  door,  and  no 
sooner  was  admission  gained  than  every  seat  and 
corner  of  the  large  church  began  to  be  rapidly  filled. 
The  people  seemed  contented  to  wait  any  length  of 
time  for  an  opportunity  of  hearing  the  singing  of  Mr. 
San  key  and  the  preaching  of  Mr.  Moody.  It  was 
soon  seen  that  the  numbers  waiting  outside  could  not 
gain  admission  into  the  church,  and  provision  was 
immediately  made  for  having  an  open-air  meeting  in 
the  quadrangle  of  Marischal  College. 

After  devotional  exercises,  interspersed  with  hymns 
and  Scripture  expositions  of  a  brief  and  pointed  char- 
acter, Mr.  Moody  preached  from  Luke  ii.  10 :  "  Be- 
hold, I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall 
be  to  all  people,  for  unto  you  is  born  this  day  a  Sa- 
viour." "His  love  for  the  Gospel,"  he  said,  "had 
taken  out  of  his  way  four  of  his  bitterest  enemies. 
Before  he  was  converted,  death  to  him  was  a  horrible 
monster,  but  now  he  had  no  fear  of  it.  He  had  re- 
ceived several  letters  from  people  who  were  probably 
out  of  their  mind,  threatening  to  take  his  life,  but 
fear  of  them  never  gave  him  a  thought,  for  he  went 
through  the  world  crying,   '  O  Death,  where  is  thy 


AN  OPEN  AIR  TEXT.  179 

sting?'  and  he  heard  a  voice  rolling  down  from 
Calvary's  cross,  saying,  '  Buried  in  the  bosom  of  the 
Saviour.'  He  had  attended  the  wounded  at  the 
American  War,  and  had  seen  death  under  many  phases. 
In  illustration  he  told  an  anecdote  of  the  war,  so 
graphically,  and  with  so  much  pathos,  that  a  consid- 
erable portion  of  the  audience  was  deeply  affected. 
The  other  enemies  which  the  knowledge  of  the  Gos- 
pel had  removed  from  his  path  were  the  grave,  sin, 
and  the  judgment,  all  of  which  were  bitter  enemies 
to  his  peace  of  mind  previous  to  his  conversion." 

Later  in  the  evening,  another  and  yet  larger  con- 
gregation, including  a  greater  number  of  careless 
persons,  heard  another  sermon  on  "  the  Gospel." 

He  expressed  himself  greatly  pleased  with  the 
character  of  the  meeting  ;  he  liked  open-air  meetings 
on  week  days,  because  all  kinds  of  people  could  come 
to  them,  while,  no  doubt,  a  good  many  came  all  eyes 
and  mouths  open  for  curiosity's  sake.  The  text  he 
had  chosen  was  an  open-air  one,  and  commanded 
them  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature,  and  in  a 
few  sentences  he  pointed  out  how  comprehensive  was 
this  injunction  of  the  Saviour's.  Throughout  both 
his  evening  discourses,  Mr.  Moody  showed  a  wonder- 


180  TO  THE  SOLDIERS. 

ful  power  of  seizing  the  circumstances  around  him 
to  illustrate  his  meaning,  thereby  giving  a  kind  of 
personal  interest  to  what  he  was  saying.  Then  fol- 
lowed a  prayer-meeting  in  the  Free  High  Church  for 
about  half  an  hour,  those  who  desired  private  con- 
versation retiring  to  the  hall  below  the  church,  the 
prayer-meeting  being  continued  in  the  church  by 
several  clergymen  until  after  ten  o'clock.  The  in- 
quirers' meeting  lasted  still  longer. 

Among  the  side-meetings  held  in  this  neighbor- 
hood, was  one  of  special  interest  for  soldiers  and  sailors, 
in  the  Aberdeen  School  of  Song.  It  is  a  new  hall ; 
and  this  was  the  first  meeting  held  in  it.  The  meet- 
ing was  arranged  through  the  exertions  of  Sir  Francis 
Outram  and  Dr.  Thomas  Farquhar.  The  wives  and 
friends  of  the  soldiers  and  marines  were  also  present ; 
and  the  company  was  a  large  one,  numbering  many 
hundreds.  Mr.  Sankey  and  his  choir  attended.  Sir 
Francis  Outram  presided,  and  the  Eev.  Mr.  Greig 
engaged  in  prayer.  Mr.  Sankey  gave  a  short  and 
effective  address,  and  sang  the  hymn  "  Hold  the  Fort," 
the  audience  joining  in  the  chorus.  Major  Ross  then 
addressed  the  meeting.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Sloan  spoke 
on  the  text,  "Endure  hardness  as  a  good  soldier  of 


APPLICATION  OF  TRUTH.  181 

Jesus  Christ."  Mr.  Sankey  followed  with  the  hymn 
"  The  Life-boat."  After  prayer,  he  again  sang,  with 
great  power,  the  hymn  "Ninety  and  Nine."  The 
meeting  lasted  for  an  hour,  and  was  intensely  inter- 
esting. We  trust  much  good  was  done  through  it. 
Several  of  the  officers  were  present. 

At  Peterhead  two  meetings  were  held,  one  at  five 
p.m.,  a  second  on  the  Links — an  open-air  gathering 
continued  in  the  church,  of  which  one  of  the  min- 
isters writes  thus : 

"  The  large  church  was  quite  filled  in  the  after- 
meeting,  some  standing  in  the  passages.  Mr.  Moody 
addressed  the  anxious.  In  closing,  he  asked  those 
that  knew  they  were  unsaved  but  wished  to  be  prayed 
for  to  stand  up.  This  being  a  new  thing  for  Peter- 
head, it  was  some  time  ere  any  had  the  courage.  At 
length  one,  then  another,  and  another,  then  twos  and 
threes,  rose,  till  between  thirty  and  forty  stood  before 
that  vast  audience  to  be  prayed  for.  It  was  a  solemn 
moment.  They  soon  got  company,  however,  for  no 
sooner  had  God's  servant  requested  the  children  of 
God  who  felt  the  desire  for  greater  spiritual  blessing 
to  rise,  than  up  stood  a  throng.  The  front  area  seats 
were  then  cleared  for  the  anxious.     Many  men  on 


182  RESPONSIBILITY. 

one  side,  and  young  women  and  boys  and  girls,  came 
forward,  and,  after  the  assembly  was  dismissed,  were 
spoken  to  personally.  I  believe  great  good  was  done 
by  that  short  visit, — an  impression  made  on  the  town 
that  will  not  soon  leave  it ;  many  convictions  planted 
in  breasts,  and  former  impressions  deepened,  and  not 
a  few  led  to  Jesus.  The  children  of  God,  too,  have 
received  a  blessing  indeed.  The  constantly  expressed 
desire  is,  '  If  we  could  only  have  had  him  a  week 
just ; '  others,  '  Well,  it  is  clear  we  can't  have  him, 
and  why  do  we  not  bestir  ourselves  and  be  blessed 
still  more  ? '  " 

The  impression  produced  by  the  "  Bible-readings  " 
is  thus  described  in  a  letter  to  The  Christian  from 
Aberdeen : 

"  We  cannot  over-estimate  the  benefit  and  enjoy- 
ment which  the  privilege  of  being  present  at  these 
lectures  occasioned  to  many.  We  can  only  hope  that 
the  method  of  studying  the  Scriptures  so  attractively 
illustrated  by  these  lectures  may  be  largely  imitated 
by  private  Christians,  along  with  the  steady  consecu- 
tive reading  and  study  of  books  and  portions  of  the 
sacred  word." 

After  a  week's  labor  in  the  city,  the  following  re- 


WATER  ON  THE  THIRSTY.  183 

suits  are  reported,  all  the  more  remarkable  because 
the  time  had  now  come  when  both  ministers  and  peo- 
ple began  to  leave  for  summer  holidays. 

"In  Free  Trinity  Church,  as  usual,  an  overflow 
meeting  was  held  during  the  earlier  part  of  the  even- 
ing; and  at  nine  o'clock  the  meeting  for  the  men 
began.  The  audience  having  been  consulted  as  to 
whether  this  meeting  should  be  continued  for  another 
week  at  least,  all  present,  apparently,  expressed  their 
desire  that  it  should  be  so.  About  the  same  number 
of  anxious  inquirers  remained  in  both  places  of  meet- 
ing each  night.  The  average  each  night  throughout 
the  week  may  be  reckoned  roughly  at  one  hundred 
and  fifty.  This  is  truly  ' great  things'  done  for  us 
and  among  us  by  the  Lord ;  and  many  of  God's  peo- 
ple are  filled  with  joy  at  His  mighty  doings. 

"  In  addition  to  these  results,  there  are  blessings 
received  which  come  not  always  to  view.  There  are 
the  reviving  and  quickening  of  God's  people ;  the 
enriching  of  the  experience  of  the  large  staff  of  Chris- 
tian workers  ;  the  tightening  of  the  cords  of  Christian 
love  and  unity ;  the  increase  of  the  spirit  of  prayer 
and  hopefulness  ;  and  largely  a  new  view  of  the  sacred 
function  of  praise  in  the  service  of  Christ,  and  as  a 


184  FLOODS  ON  BE  T  GRO  UND. 

means  of  winning  souls  to  Him,  of  comforting  the 
downcast,  and  of  warring  against  the  assaults  of  the 
wicked  one." 

Among  the  incidents  in  the  inquiry-room  was  that 
of  a  young  lady,  who,  in  speaking  with  Mr.  Moody, 
said,  "  You  made  it  so  plain  last  night,  that  I  now  know 
the  way  and  the  scheme  of  salvation  thoroughly,  and 
there  remains  but  the  surrender  of  the  will." 

The  brethren  commenced  their  second  and  last 
week's  labors  in  Aberdeen,  June  21,  1874.  Mere 
curiosity  had  had  time  to  be  gratified,  but  still  large 
audiences  flocked  to  hear  them.  "  Many,"  says  a 
writer  in  The  Christian,  "  who,  with  Scotch  caution, 
were  inclined  to  stand  aloof  from  the  movement  for  a 
short  time,  have  come  round  to  recognize  that  there 
is  good  being  done,  and  that  the  men  are  not  mere 
butterflies,  fluttering  in  a  breeze  of  religious  excite- 
ment. Their  influence  has  gone  beyond  the  gather- 
ings that  they  themselves  bring  together.  There  has 
been  created  a  renewed  interest  in  evangelistic  work, 
which  is  bearing  fruit  in  numerous  well-attended  meet- 
ings being  held  throughout  the  town,  conducted  by 
clergymen  and  laymen.  At  the  same  time  there  is  an 
absence  of    that   emotional    excitement   which   was 


MUTUAL  HELP.  185 


greatly  in  vogue  in  some  previous  revivals,  and  which, 
in  a  measure,  is  to  blame  for  the  indifference  of  not  a 
few  good  church-going  people  to  evangelistic  preaching. 

A  vigorous  lecture  on  Daniel  in  the  morning,  a  ser- 
mon in  the  cathedral,  Old  Aberdeen,  which  was 
densely  crowded,  a  closing  meeting  on  the  Links — the 
Scottish  "  Common" — an  evening  meeting  in  the  Music 
Hall,  and  separate  meetings  with  the  men  and  women 
who  had  received  a  blessing — these  were  the  farewell 
services  on  June  28,  1874,  in  Aberdeen. 

"  Perhaps  in  no  place  which  he  has  as  yet  visited," 
says  the  Rev.  John  M.  Sloan,  "  have  his  ministrations 
been  attended  by  greater  or  more  interested  crowds. 
The  Music  Hall,  larger,  we  believe,  than  the  City 
Hall,  Glasgow,  and  capable,  when  crowded,  of  accom- 
modating close  on  three  thousand  live  hundred — was 
full  every  night  during  the  fortnight  of  the  evangel- 
ists' stay  among  us.  Kot  only  so,  but  the  overflow 
sufficed  to  fill  at  times  more  than  one  of  the  adjacent 
churches.  The  Bible  lectures,  which  were  held  in  the 
South  Parish  Church,  were  attended  by  close  on  two 
thousand  ;  while  the  daily  prayer-meeting  in  Belmont 
Street  Chapel  was  attended  by  one  thousand  or  more." 

Of  the  manner  in  which  young  men  influenced  one 


186  YOUNG  MEN'S  RESOLVES. 

another,  no  better  illustration  could  be  given  than 
from  the  closing  meeting  in  Aberdeen,  though  simi- 
lar facts  had  occurred  elsewhere. 

u  During  the  evening,  a  young  gentleman  rose  and 
said,  '  Mr.  Moody,  if  you  can  tell  me  how  my  soul 
can  be  saved,  you  will  be  the  greatest  benefactor  of 
my  life.'  Another  immediately  rose,  and  said, 
6  That  gentleman  has  exactly  expressed  what  I  feel.' 
Another  young  man  rose,  and  spoke  to  this  effect : 
'Some  few  evenings  ago  I  was  in  Free  Trinity 
Church  at  the  men's  meeting.  At  one  point  in  the 
proceedings  I  was  taken  aback  by  the  person  next  to 
me  in  the  pew  rising  up  and  saying,  "  I  want  to  let 
this  large  company  of  young  men,  many  of  them  my 
friends  and  acquaintances,  know  that  I  am  a  Chris- 
tian, and  that  by  God's  grace  I  mean  to  stand  on  the 
Lord's  side.  It  will  save  trouble  my  telling  you  all  this 
at  once."  When  he  sat  down,  the  young  man  sitting 
in  the  same  pew,  but  on  the  other  side  of  me,  rose 
and  made  a  statement  to  the  same  effect.  I  felt  some- 
what  uncomfortable  sitting  between  two  making  such 
a  declaration,  in  the  full  view  of  all  the  congregation. 
The  place  was  unpleasantly  hot  for  me.  But  God 
blessed  the  testimonies  of  that  evening  to  the  awaken- 


DISCRIMINATION.  187 

ing  of  my  soul,  and  ultimately  to  my  conversion; 
and  now  I  am  here  before  this  audience  to  tell  them 
that  I  too  am  on  the  Lord's  side,  and  mean  by  His 
grace  to  live  for  Him."  ' 

Huntly  received  a  visit — reawakening  memories 
of  the  efforts  made  by  the  excellent  Duchess  of 
Gordon.  Montrose,  where  the  earnest  and  zealous 
Mr.  Xixon  has  lived  and  labored  for  a  genera- 
tion, welcomed  even  a  day's  work,  and  Rev.  G.  S. 
Sutherland  reported  that  though  the  visit  was 
"  painfully  brief,  it  had  left  behind  lasting  fruit :  "  and 
Brechin,  once  the  scene  of  Rev.  Dr.  McCosh's  labors, 
had  its  crowded  meetings. 

Forfar  and  Arbroath  were  visited.  It  may  illus- 
trate the  observant  discrimination  with  which  Scot- 
tish Christians  followed  the  steps  of  the  American 
evangelists,  that  a  most  appreciative  writer  in  the 
Times  of  Blessing,  a  journal  originated  for  the  dif- 
fusion of  revival  intelligence,  thus  describes  Mr. 
Moody's  address  in  the  latter  place : 

"  The  first  meeting  was  held  in  the  Old  Church 
(Established);  and  though  the  hour — three  o'clock, 
afternoon — was  one  at  which  none  of  tbe  working 
classes  could  attend,  the  large  building,  capable  of 


188  TRUTH  RIGHTLY  DIVIDED. 

holding  two  thousand  people,  was  well-nigh  full.  The 
meeting  was  opened  with  the  One  Hundredth  Psalm, 
led  by  Mr.  Sankey  and  the  organ  ;  and  Mr.  Irvine,  the 
pastor  of  the  church,  engaged  in  prayer.  i  Nothing  but 
Leaves,'  and  '  Whiter  than  Snow'  followed,  divided 
by  the  reading  of  Rom.  iii.  In  this  section  was  found 
the  theme  of  Mr.  Moody's  address,  *  There  is  no  Dif- 
ference,'— words  which  he  held  up  as  testifying  that 
all  men  everywhere  stand  on  the  same  platform  as 
sinners  in  relation  to  the  law  of  God.  The  audience 
listened  with  rapt  attention,  the  illustrations  being 
specially  telling.  The  writer  of  this  notice  heard  the 
same  address  in  Glasgow  ;  but  on  the  present  occasion 
Mr.  Moody  seemed  to  take  a  firmer  grasp  of  his  sub- 
ject, and  preserved  more  unity  of  structure  in  the  ad- 
dress itself.  He  seems  also  to  be  more  careful  in  his 
way  of  explaining  what  faith  in  Christ  is  than  before, 
showing  by  this  that  if  he  have  given  benefit  to 
Scottish  ministers  by  the  exhibition  of  his  method,  he 
has  also  been  reaping  some  benefit  from  their  well- 
weighed  style  of  expression." 

That  this  kindly  criticism  accompanied  the  most 
cordial  and  enthusiastic  estimate  of  the  man,  will 
appear  from    another  paragraph — almost   the    only 


CORDIAL  APPROVAL.  189 

eulogistic  description  we  have  thought  it  good  to  in- 
sert, for,  "  he  that  glorieth  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord." 
u  Mr.  Moody's  voice  has  suffered  a  good  deal  by  his 
exposure  on  a  wet  Sunday  on  the  Links  at  Aberdeen  ; 
when  he  addressed  an  enormous  audience  under  um- 
brellas. It  was  very  husky  to  commence  with,  and 
only  got  back  its  old  power  and  sharpness,  as  he 
worked  it  clear.  "When  a  man  gets  a  bad  cold,  and 
goes  on  with  such  colossal  work,  without  intermission, 
one  comes  to  ask  :  '  Is  he  made  of  iron  only  in  a 
figure,  or  is  he  really  so  ? '  The  more  one  sees  Mr. 
Moody,  the  more  one  is  amazed  at  the  nervous  power 
and  the  unwearied  spiritual  and  mental  activity.  Did 
he  only  do  what  he  does  as  an  inspirer  and  organizer 

m 

of  young  men's  associations,  or  of  work  among  the 
young,  he  would  be  doing  a  splendid  life-labor  ;  but 
he  is  doing  the  work  of  three  or  four  evangelists  into 
the  bargain,  and  that  with  the  force  of  a  locomotive 
engine.  One  would  almost  fear  him  as  an  embodiment 
of  half  a  dozen  agencies  condensed  into  one  person, 
did  one  not  see  unmistakably,  every  here  and  there, 
traces  which  tell  that  the  masculine  nature  has  the 
humility  of  a  child  and  the  tenderness  of  a  woman." 
Blairgowrie  had  been  praying,  and  when,  early  in 


190  BLAIRGOWRIE. 


July,  the  evangelists  appeared,  seven  thousand  eager 
hearers  met  them,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Baxter  reports : 

"After  devotional  exercises  had  been  engaged  in, 
Mr.  Moody  spoke.  The  discourse  abounded  in  rich 
utterances  of  a  free  gospel.  The  glad  tidings  of  mercy 
through  Christ  were  clearly  enunciated.  The  offer 
of  immediate  salvation  was  pressed  on  every  one  with 
great  seriousness  and  solemnity.  By  means  of  evan- 
gelical truth  luminously  stated,  anecdotes  pointed  and 
most  graphically  given,  illustrations  fresh  and  felici- 
tous, attention  was  arrested  and  sustained,  and  many  a 
countenance  betrayed  in  its  expression  the  interest 
which  was  being  felt  and  the  deep  emotion  which 
was  being  awakened.  A  wave  of  divine  influence 
seemed  to  pass  over  the  immense  audience,  and  so 
stirred  were  the  hearts  of  many,  that  they  were  ready 
to  say,  '  Surely  the  Lord  is  in  this  place.'  It  was  a 
marvelous,  and  will  be  a  memorable,  meeting.  The 
vast  congregation,  the  glorious  proclamation  of  God's 
grace,  the  eagerness  with  which  the  truth  was  listened 
to,  the  widespread  concern  about  everlasting  interests, 
will  be  long  remembered  with  no  ordinary  degree  of 
pleasure  and  profit." 

At  Inverness,  the  next  field,  from  the  beginning  of 


INVERNESS.  191 


the  year  a  prayer-meeting  had  been  held  daily  at  noon 
in  the  large  hall  of  the  beautiful  building  erected  a 
few  years  ago  by  the  Young  Glen's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation, and  the  people  were  expectant  of  a  blessing. 
We  shall  allow  the  Rev.  G.  Pobson  to  describe 
the  closing  meeting  only  taking  the  liberty  to 
abbreviate : 

"The  closing  meeting,  Free  High  Church,  at  8 
p.  m.  ;  densely  packed  ;  the  Hundredth  Psalm  sung,  and 
prayer.  Mr.  Sankey  sang  the  hymn,  '  We  shall  Part, 
but  not  forever,'  the  choir  joining  in  the  chorus.  Mr. 
Moody  delivered  a  most  arresting  and  solemn  address. 
The  close  of  his  appeal,  when  he  deplored  his  in- 
ability to  speak  for  Christ  with  the  earnestness  he 
desired,  and  with  tears  entreated  the  unsaved  to  close 
with  the  Saviour,  was  listened  to  amid  a  silence 
broken  only  by  the  irrepressible  signs  of  deep  emo- 
tion on  the  part  of  his  audience.  There  were  not 
many  dry  eyes  in  the  vast  congregation,  and  many 
heads  were  bowed.  At  the  close  of  the  address,  the 
Pev.  Dr.  Black  engaged  in  prayer,  and  then  Mr. 
Sankey  sang  a  farewell  hymn,  beginning,  '  And  now, 
dear  Friends,  we  must  bid  you  adieu,'  in  which  he  ad- 
dressed the  different  classes  present.     He  sang  it  with 


192  "PRAYER  AND  SUPPLICATION." 

even  more  than  his  usual  distinctness,  and  the  sin- 
gular appropriateness  of  these  farewell  utterances  lent 
to  them  additional  effect.  While  the  Twenty-third 
Psalm  was  being  sung  the  meeting  separated,  the 
men  being  invited  to  an  after-meeting  in  the  Con- 
gregational Church,  and  the  women  to  remain  in  the 
Free  High  Church.  It  is  impossible  to  give  any  idea, 
by  words,  of  the  deep  solemnity  and  holy  emotion 
which  characterized  this  closing  meeting.  '  The  Lord 
has  been  in  the  midst  of  us  to-night,'  said  Mr.  Moody, 
as  the  meeting  was  separating.  '  Ah.  yes ;  glory  to 
His  name ! '  was  the  reply.  The  after-meeting  was 
the  most  solemn  I  ever  witnessed.  Pew  after  pew 
was  cleared  for  those  who  professed  to  be  seeking 
Christ,  and  still  they  pressed  forward.  There  were 
upwards  of  a  hundred  of  them;  and  their  earnest 
attention  while  Mr.  Moody,  in  simple,  tender  words, 
pointed  out  to  them  the  way  of  salvation — the  per- 
fect stillness  which  prevailed,  as,  with  their  heads 
bowed  upon  the  book-board,  they  engaged  in  silent 
prayer — the  manifest  anxiety,  reverence,  and  sincerity 
which  animated  their  behavior  during  the  subsequent 
solemn  exercises — the  spirit  of  prayer  manifestly  per- 
vading the  Christian  ladies  who  filled  the  pews  on 


"IF  YE  HAVE  FAITH."  103 

either  side  of  the  church — all  testified  to  the  presence 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  that  hallowed  hour,  never  to  be 
forgotten.  The  men's  meeting  in  the  Congregational 
Church,  conducted  by  Mr.  Sankey,  was  also  greatly 
blessed  of  God,  and  a  very  large  number  of  inquirers 
were  conversed  with.  It  was  late  at  night  before 
Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  slipped  away  from  the 
scene  of  labors  which  have  been  owned  of  God  for 
the  conversion  of  many  souls  and  the  quickening  of 
many  believers." 

In  Xairn  and  Elgin  the  same  scenes  were  repeated. 
At  the  latter  place  Mr.  Moody  urged  faith  and  effort 
on  the  Christian  people;  he  read  a  portion  of  the  ninth 
chapter  of  Mark,  in  reference  to  the  case  of  the  father 
whose  son  was  possessed  of  a  devil.  From  it  he  en- 
treated Christians,  like  the  man  in  the  chapter,  to 
bring  their  friends  to  Jesus,  to  whom  no  case  was  too 
hopeless.  "Now,"  Mr.  Moody  continued,  "if  there 
is  going  to  be  a  blessing  in  Elgin,  we  must  have  faith. 
All  know  Christ  can  do  it,  and  what  we  want  is  to 
get  the  'if'  in  the  right  place.  'If  we  can  believe, 
that  moment  we  get  the  'if  in  the  right  place.  Un- 
belief was  the  greatest  obstacle  that  Christ  encoun- 
tered, both  on  that  and  this  side  the  cross."  Mr. 
9 


194  ELGIN. 


Moody  then  very  earnestly  appealed  to  God's  people 
to  have  faith,  to  come  as  empty  vessels,  devoid  of 
self-conceit  and  everything  selfish,  so  that  they  might 
be  filled. 

To  Nairn  the  visit  was  made  on  the  21st  July  (1874), 
the  Eev.  Dr.  Cunningham,  of  Philadelphia,  giving 
some  aid  in  the  meetings.  "An  inquiry  meeting 
was  held  at  the  close,  and  about  sixty  or  more  were 
conversed  with,  while  many  retired  to  their  homes 
with  an  arrow  in  their  hearts.  Some  professed  to 
close  with  Jesus,  and  some  left  undecided  for  the 
Lord.  Mr.  Moody  and  his  fellow-laborer  left  the 
town  next  morning,  while  the  services  were  carried  on 
by  the  ministers  in  town  and  an  evangelist.  The  in- 
quiry meeting  on  Wednesday  evening  was  full  of 
interest,  many  professing  to  close  with  Jesus.  The 
whole  town  was  moved." 

The  ancient  town  of  Elgin  received  a  two  days' 
visit.  An  open-air  meeting  was  held  on  Ladyhill. 
The  Elgin  Courier  thus  describes  the  scene :  "  The 
sun,  as  he  sank  to  rest  in  the  west  shed  his  dying 
glory  over  the  most  picturesque  scene  on  the  hillside. 
It  was  estimated  by  some  that  there  were  between 
five  and  six  thousand  persons  present,  it  being  the 


, 


REV.   R.  S.  MACPHATL.  195 

largest  gathering  of  the  kind  we  ever  remember 
having  seen  in  Elgin.  Tempted  by  the  fine  evening 
all  classes  of  the  people  turned  out,  many  arriving 
from  all  parts  of  the  snrrounding  districts.  At  the 
foot  of  the  hill  a  platform  was  erected,  which  was 
occupied  by  the  choir  and  speakers.  The  whole  hill- 
side, for  a  great  distance  up  and  round  about  was  cov- 
ered with  the  dense  multitude,  that  presented,  with 
their  varied  dresses,  a  most  imposing  spectacle." 

The  liev.  K.  S.  Macphail  gives  his  ideas  of  the 
moral  and  spiritual  results  as  indicated  by  the  ad- 
journed meeting :  "  In  the  parish  church  the  scene 
was  unprecedented.  Much  as  we  had  prayed  for 
seven  months  and  expected,  we  were  not  prepared 
for  the  results  our  God  gave.  Not  only  did  the  num- 
bers exceed  our  most  sanguine  expectations,  but  per- 
sons remained  seeking  salvation  whose- presence  filled 
our  hearts  with  thanksgiving  and  rejoicing.  This 
has  been  so  at  all  these  meetings,  but  on  Sabbath 
night  most  strikingly.  On  the  Thursday  previous 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  inquirers  were  dealt 
with.  How  many  there  were  on  Sabbath  night  I  do 
not  venture  to  indicate,  as  there  were  fewer  means 
of  computing  the  great  gathering.     Such  a  Sabbath 


196  A   GLAD  SURPRISE. 

Elgin  never  saw ;  and  the  results  of  that  day's  work 
will,  I  believe,  remain,  not  only  in  the  lives  of  very 
many  in  Elgin  and  for  miles  around,  but  in  the  tone 
and  religious  character  of  oar  city.  The  power  of 
the  word  originated  influences  which,  by  God's 
blessing,  will  tell  very  powerfully  in  our  midst. 
We  found  our  way  to  our  homes  that  night  at  a  late 
hour  i  like  men  that  dreamed.'  Truly  we  might,  as 
we  did,  say, i  The  Lord  hath  done  great  things  for  us.' " 
Of  a  second  visit  made  to  Elgin  one  of  the  Young 
Men's  deputies  from  Edinburgh  writes  in  cordial  ap- 
preciation of  the  zeal  and  fervor  of  the  Highlanders  : 
"  How  the  Elgin  people  pounced  upon  Mr.  Moody 
when  they  heard,  three  days  after  he  had  left  them, 
that  he  had  one  more  free  day  in  the  midst  of  his 
busy  life  !  Of  course  they  never  dreamed  of  him  tak- 
ing a  rest ;  and  there  was  great  joy  on  Wednesday 
afternoon  when  it  was  flashed  through  the  country 
side  that  on  the  following  evening  there  was  to  be 
another  great  open-air  gathering.  I  cannot  tell  jou 
who  were  there,  or  how  many,  or  what  a  good  choir 
there  was,  or  what  Mr.  Sankey  sung,  or  which  digni- 
tary prayed.  I  cannot  tell  you  how  beautifully  the 
sun  was  setting,  or  how  fresh  the  background  of 


come  AND  in-: LP  us.  197 

woods  looked,  or  how  azure  the  sky  was.  But  these 
old  men  penitent,  these  drunkards  petri^ed,  these 
strong  men's  tears,  these  drooping  heads  of  women, 
these  groups  of  gutter  children  with  their  wondering 
eyes  !  Oh,  that  multitude  of  thirsty  ones — what  a 
sight  it  was !  What  could  the  preacher  do  but  preach 
his  best  ?  And,  long  after  the  usual  time  for  stop- 
ping, was  it  a  marvel  to  hear  the  persuasive  voice 
still  pleading  on  with  these  Christless  thousands? 

"  It  is  useless  to  attempt  to  give  even  an  approxi- 
mate idea  of  the  extent  of  the  blessing  which  fell 
upon  Elgin  on  Thursday  night.  The  whole  of  Mo- 
rayshire has  shared  it,  and  a  powerful  hold  has  been 
gained  in  nearly  every  farmhouse  and  village  through- 
out the  country  side ;  a  hold  which,  it  is  earnestly  hoped, 
the  members  of  the  new  Young  Men's  Christian  As- 
sociation will  take  immediate  steps  to  develop,  and 
which,  with  the  prayers  of  the  Christian  friends  of 
this  corner  of  the  vineyard,  may  yet  be  fertile  of 
great  and  enduring  blessing." 

They  could  not  well  pass  by  Banff,  for  "  a  memo- 
rial signed  by  two  thousand  two  hundred  ministers, 
elders,  members,  and  adherents  of  the  various 
churches  in  Banff  and  Macduff  had  been  forwarded  to 


198  TOO  HARD  FOR  THE  LORD? 

them.  An  unusual  interest  was  consequently  mani- 
fested on  their  arrival.  The  railway  station  was 
quite  crowded  with  people  who  were  waiting  to  give 
them  a  warm  welcome." 

Open-air  meetings,  Bible-readings,  sermons,  in- 
quiry-meetings, for  men  exclusively,  filled  up  the 
greater  part  of  a  week.  The  Rev.  J.  W.  Geddie  says 
of  the  results :  "  Mr.  Moody's  words  seemed  to  pierce 
like  arrows,  much  emotion  was  manifested  in  the 
congregation,  and  the  number  of  inquirers  was  greater 
than  before.  The  meeting  for  men  was  also  more 
largely  attended,  and  not  a  few  of  the  anxious  seemed 
to  decide  for  Christ. 

"  Thursday,  6th  Aug.  (1874),  was  Mr.  Moody's  last 
day  in  Banff.  At  twelve  o'clock  he  appeared  in  the 
prayer-meeting,  to  the  evident  delight  and  satisfac- 
tion of  all  present.  He  gave  what  he  calls  the  key- 
note of  the  meeting  in  a  few  earnest  and  encouraging 
words,  chiefly  in  the  question,  '  Is  there  anything  too 
hard  for  the  Lord  ? '  Several  brethren  then  prayed 
with  great  power  and  unction.  It  was  felt  that 
surely  the  Lord  would  very  specially  bless  the  word 
in  the  evening. 

"  And  so  it  was.     Thursday  evening  will  be  long 


CRAIG  CASTLE.  199 


remembered  by  many  in  Banff.  The  discourse  was 
pointed,  powerful,  and  pathetic.  At  the  close  he 
thrilled  the  audience,  as  he  bade  them  farewell,  and 
with  tears  urged  the  unconverted  to  close  with  Christ 
at  once. 

"  We  are  truly  grateful  for  the  visit  of  these  hon- 
ored brethren.  They  have  been  instrumental  in  giv- 
ing an  impulse  to  Christian  life  and  work  here, 
which,  we  trust,  will  lead  to  still  greater  results.  "We 
bid  them  God-speed." 

At  Craig  Castle,  the  residence  of  J.  S.  Gordon, 
Esq. ,  a  series  of  evangelistic  meetings  has  been  held 
for  many  summers.  The  Sabbath  evening  meeting, 
9th  August,  must  have  been  of  unusual  interest. 

"Every  valley  and  hamlet  within  a  radius  of  ten 
miles  sent  its  company  in  gig,  cart,  or  afoot.  The 
gathering  resembled  somewhat  one  of  the  Covenanter 
hill-side  meetings,  save  that,  while  the  bibles  were 
still  present,  the  broadswords  were  altogether  absent ; 
and  the  rendezvous,  instead  of  being  a  wild,  rocky 
pass,  was  a  hospitable  castle  with  its  fairy  dell  and 
leaping  linn,  celebrated  in  song,  and  known  as  one 
of  the  loveliest  spots  in  Scotland.  The  beauty  of  the 
scene  seemed  specially  to  move  Mr.  Moody,  who  re- 


200  UNCERTAIN  NA  VIGATION 

ferred  to  it  again  and  again  in  his  discourse,  which 
was  one  of  peculiar  beauty,  power,  and  pathos. 
Standing  in  an  open  carriage  placed  near  a  towering 
tree,  the  preacher  spoke  for  nearly  an  hour  from  the 
parable  of  the  Marriage  Feast.  A  very  marked  im- 
pression was  produced,  and  many  retired  at  the  close 
of  the  service  for  conversation  with  the  preacher  and 
other  ministers  and  friends.  The  Craig  gathering  of 
August,  1874,  will,  we  believe,  be  ever  memorable  to 
not  a  few  as  'the  beginning  of  days'  to  them." 

In  one  of  the  intervals  between  engagements, 
a  hurried  run  was  made  to  Aberdeen,  but  other 
towns,  like  Wick  and  Thurso,  awaited  the  coming  of 
the  evangelists.  In  that  region,  the  navigation  is 
often  uncertain. 

Midnight  on  Monday  (10th  August),  found  Mr. 
Moody  steaming  slowly  out  of  Aberdeen  harbor,  after 
a  hard  day's  work,  in  which  he  held  four  large  and 
successful  public  meetings.  Tuesday  morning  found 
him  close  in  shore,  opposite  Wick,  with  a  contrary 
wind,  and  most  violent  contrary  currents,  making 
things  on  board  the  St.  Nicholas  about  as  disagreeable 
as  possible.  On  the  shore,  a  large  party  awaited  his 
arrival,  but  it  was  soon  apparent  that  the  heavy  sea 


JOHN  O'GROA  T'S  HO  USE.  20 1 

which  was  running  in  the  bay  would  make  any  at- 
tempt to  land  quite  out  of  the  question. 

But  the  good  people  of  Wick  were  no  losers  by  the 
misfortunes  of  the  first  day,  for  Mr.  Moody  soon  in- 
timated his  intention  to  devote  two  extra  days  to 
Wick,  and  one  of  these  a  Sabbath. 

On  Wednesday,  of  course,  the  whole  country-side 
poured  into  Wick  to  hear  Mr.  Moody,  and  by  six 
o'clock,  the  commodious  Established  Church  was 
crowded  to  the  door.  The  aid  of  Mr.  Somerville,  of 
Glasgow,  was  enjoyed  here.  A  monster  meeting  for 
the  fishermen  was  held  on  the  Saturday.  They 
were  there  in  thousands,  just  then,  from  all  parts 
of  Scotland.  The  fishermen  do  not,  of  course,  go  to 
sea  on  Saturday  night.  The  meetings  on  Sabbath 
were  most  successful,  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  pro- 
fessing decision. 

John  0' Groat's  House  is  famous  as  the  most  north- 
ern point  of  Scotland.  On  Thursday,  the  13th,  Mr. 
Moody,  with  a  party  of  friends,  visited  John  O'Groat's 
and  Duncansbay  Head.  The  news  of  his  presence 
spread  rapidly  amongst  the  inhabitants  of  the  neigh- 
borhood, and  a  considerable  gathering  of  men   and 

women,  attired  in  their  Sabbath  dress,  with  Bibles  in 
9* 


202  AN  EAGER  COMPANY. 

their  hands,  intercepted  him  as  he  stood  upon  the  site 
of  John  O'Groat's  House,  and  urgently  requested  that 
he  might  address  a  few  words  to  them.  Mr.  Moody 
made  passing  allusion  to  the  circumstances  of  his  visit, 
to  the  probability  of  his  never  meeting  his  audience 
again  in  this  world,  to  the  scenery,  the  situation,  and 
the  tradition  of  the  place.  The  speaker,  standing  as 
he  did  on  the  northmost  mainland  of  Britain,  with  the 
blue  waters  of  the  broad  Atlantic  rolling  between  him 
and  his  home,  seemed  as  a  link  binding  the  two 
nations  together  in  that  unity  and  brotherly  love 
which  are  the  main  characteristics  of  his  doctrine. 
This  was,  probably,  the  first  sermon  ever  preached  on 
John  O'Groat's  House. 

A  scene  in  Wick,  whither  he  returned,  is  thus  de- 
scribed by  Rev.  George  Renny  : 

"  He  requested  those  who  were  yet  unsaved  and 
anxious,  to  cross  the  platform  where  the  pulpit  stands, 
and  retire  to  the  hall  below.  Slowly  one,  and  another, 
and  another  rose,  and,  in  the  face  of  the  audience, 
moved  to  the  place  appointed.  It  soon  became  full  of 
inquirers,  so  much  so  that  there  was  not  standing- 
room.  Mr.  Moody  then  intimated  that  the  church 
would  be  cleared  for  them  to  return,  but  that  if  there 


THE  GLORIOUS  GOSPEL.  203 

were  others  before  him  still  anxious,  they  should,  in 
the  meantime,  move  below.  The  minister's  vestry  was 
thrown  open  and  was  rilled.  Thereafter,  the  back 
stair,  which  leads  to  the  pulpit,  was  also  crowded. 
It  was  found  that  not  fewer  than  two  hundred  men — 
a  few  of  them  with  silvery  locks,  and  a  few  young  in 
years,  but  the  vast  majority  in  the  full  vigor  of  man- 
hood, and  occupying  various  positions  in  the  social 
scale — confessed  themselves  unconverted,  and  anxious 
for  salvation.  Christians  accustomed  to  speak  to  the 
anxious  were  requested  to  occupy  a  certain  place  in 
the  church ;  other  Christians  were  asked  to  adjourn 
to  the  Baptist  Chapel,  and  pray  for  direction,  and  the 
revelation  of  Christ  to  those  who  remained,  and  the 
promiscuous  assembly  separated.  The  inquirers  then 
returned,  and  took  their  seats  in  front  of  the  pulpit. 
The  way  of  salvation  was  explained  by  Mr.  Moody,  in 
a  very  simple  and  forcible  manner,  and  the  texts  of 
Scripture  which  had  been  most  blessed  in  the  way  of 
delivering  and  assuring  his  own  soul,  were  dwelt 
upon.  The  gospel  was  brought  home  with  such  sim- 
plicity that  one  felt  how  true  it  is.  The  wayfaring 
men,  though  fools,  need  not  err  therein.  Regret  was 
expressed   that   the   souls   before   him  could  not  be 


204  A  SOLEMN  HOUR. 

spoken  with  individually.  He  then  requested  that  all 
would  engage  -in  silent  prayer,  and  that  as  many  as 
were  enabled  to  trust  in  Jesus  should  in  these  solemn 
moments  receive  Him  as  their  Saviour.  This  done,  he 
then  asked  that  those  who  had  now  committed  their 
souls  to  Christ  for  salvation,  should  rise  up  ;  when 
slowly,  one  by  one,  there  rose  one  hundred  and  fifty,  or 
thereby — every  countenance  bearing  the  imprint  of 
seriousness,  every  eye  bedimmed  with  a  tear,  but  no 
excitement  and  no  outburst  of  feeling.  It  was  a  sight 
for  angels  to  witness.  Mr.  Moody  after  this  requested 
them  to  repeat  audibly  the  words  of  a  dedication 
prayer,  so  full  of  directness  and  simplicity,  that  as 
every  lip,  quivering  with  emotion,  slowly  echoed  the 
words,  we  seemed  carried  back  to  the  days  of  the 
Covenant.  This  concluded,  there  burst  from  the 
heart  of  the  audience  a  prayer  from  a  young  man  who 
has  been  much  identified  with  this  work  of  grace, 
such  as  told  of  the  tremulous  joy  which  was  present 
to  the  minds  of  all  of  us,  and  the  earnest  desire  that 
all  who  had  witnessed  the  good  confession  might  by 
grace  be  found  faithful  to  the  end. 

"  In  a  brief  time,  the  newly-professed  converts  re- 
tired, and  those  who  had  kept  their  seats  and  were  still 


THE  GROUND  PREPARED.  205 

anxious  were  conversed  with,  some  of  whom  seemed  to 
find  their  way  to  the  light.  Never,  never  will  that 
night  be  forgotten.  Many,  doubtless,  will  watch  for 
the  halting  of  these  men.  Let  us  continue  instant  in 
prayer  that  they  may  be  kept  steadfast  and  immova- 
ble, always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord." 

"  It  is  now,"  says  Rev.  W.  R.  Taylor,  of  Glasgow, 
who  was  at  Wick  and  in  the  neighborhood  with  Mr. 
Moody,  "  fifteen  years  since  Thurso  was  visited  with 
a  marked  blessing,  and  of  that  happy  period  I  retain 
a  record,  which  tells  of  upwards  of  four  hundred  in- 
quirers, and  of  one-half  of  these  becoming  members 
of  the  church  within  a  few  months  thereafter.  May 
God  grant  like  and  even  greater  things  in  this  year 
of  grace."     This  hope  was  amply  realized. 

The  encouraging  state  of  things  on  Monday  and 
Tuesday  evenings,  combined  with  the  urgent  request 
of  friends,  led  Mr.  Moody  to  decide  on  remaining  here 
till  the  end  of  the  week,  instead  of  giving  only  two 
days,  as  first  arranged.  On  the  following  (Thursday) 
evening,  Mr.  Moody  preached  on  Faith.  When  min- 
isters and  other  workers  dealt  at  the  close  of  the  ser- 
vice with  inquirers,  they  found  that  the  way  had  been 
paved  for  them  to  an  unusual  degree,  and  that  many 


206  OBAN. 


who  had  been  previously  seeking  hope  among  their 
own  feelings,  were  now  prepared  to  close,  in  the 
strength  of  grace,  with  the  offered  and  offering 
Saviour.  For  example,  as  one  man  was  being  con- 
versed with,  after  the  Christian  friend  speaking  to 
him  had  said  a  few  words,  he  suddenly  bowed  his 
head  on  the  bookboard,  and  poured  forth  from  an 
overcharged  heart  a  fervent  prayer,  expressive  of 
immediate  acceptance  of  the  Lord  Jesus  as  his 
Saviour,  and  of  thanksgiving  for  the  light  received. 
To  speak  to  inquirers  under  such  circumstances  was 
a  work  as  easy  as  it  was  blessed. 

A  most  useful  Convention  was  held  in  Inverness  in 
the  end  of  August.  Of  the  last  week  in  Scotland, 
we  should  be  glad  to  give  more  ample  details  did  our 
space  admit.  The  following  is  a  concise  account  of 
the  meetings : 

After  the  Convention  at  Inverness,  Mr.  Moody, 
with  a  company  of  local  friends,  went  down  the  Cale- 
donian Canal  to  Oban,  and  there,  on  Friday  the  28th, 
gave  an  address  with  much  apparent  blessing  in  the 
United  Presbyterian  Church.  There  had  been  much 
preparatory  work  in  the  town,  not  only  in  the  open-air 
meetings,  but  also  in  other  special  services ;  and  in 


CAMPBELTOWN.  207 


the  two  preceding  months  the  Rev.  H.  Bonar  and  the 
Rev.  A.  Bonar,  had  ministered  the  Word  in  the  Free 
Church.  From  Oban  Mr.  Moody  went  to  Campbel- 
town, by  way  of  Tarbert,  on  Loch  Fyne,  and  remained 
from  the  29th  to  the  3d  of  September,  when  he  left 
for  Rothesay,  taking  the  Tarbert  route,  and  staying 
on  his  way  at  the  house  of  the  Rev.  W.  Mackinnon 
at  Ballinakill,  where  many  were  gathered  from  various 
parts  of  Kintyre  to  meet  him.  His  work  at  Camp- 
beltown was  deeply  interesting,  and  was  crowned 
with  remarkable  blessing.  He  commenced  on  Sun- 
day the  30th  by  three  services ;  speaking  first  to 
workers,  then  on  the  Blood,  and  lastly  on  the  grand 
command,  u  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature."  The  result  after  that  last 
address  was  most  striking.  Upwards  of  fifty  stood 
up  to  ask  to  be  prayed  for,  and  to  declare  their  desire 
to  be  Christians.  The  meeting  had  been  overcrowded, 
and  some  went  to  the  Drill-hall,  where  the  gospel 
was  preached  by  willing  helpers ;  but  in  the  great 
after-meeting  in  the  church,  all  were  united,  and  it 
was  felt  to  be  a  time  of  wonderful  enlargement  and 
power.  On  the  three  following  days  the  interest 
was  deepened  at  successive  meetings ;  till  at  the  last, 


208  THE   VOICE  OF  REJOICING. 

on  "Wednesday  night,  when  Mr.  Moody  had  preached 
on  God's  invitation  and  man's  excuses,  a  very  large 
number  were  gathered  into  a  hall,  either  as  converts 
or  inquirers;  and  it  was  manifest  that  much  fruit  had 
been  gathered  to  life  eternal.  There  is  the  joy  of 
seeing  many  now  rejoicing  in  Jesus,  who  were  wont 
to  walk  in  the  shadow  of  death,  and  believers  are 
learning  to  work  when  God  is  calling  in  the  harvest, 
as  it  is  written,  "  He  is  a  wise  son  who  gathereth  in 
summer." 

It  is  well  known  that  the  Highlanders  are  intensely 
strong  in  their  religious  convictions  and  preposses- 
sions ;  hence  many  who  knew  the  Highlands  were 
afraid  that  Mr.  Moody's  preaching  would  not  suit  the 
Celtic  mind;  while  Mr.  Sankey's  songs,  it  was  feared, 
would  stir  up  a  perfect  storm  of  opposition  in  the 
minds  of  the  people.  Happily,  neither  of  these  pre- 
dictions was  verified.  Mr.  Moody's  addresses  melted 
the  hearts  of  thousands,  while  Mr.  Sankey's  hymns 
have  become  as  great  favorites  in  the  Highlands  as 
they  are  in  the  South  of  Scotland.  In  the  remote 
Highland  glen  you  may  hear  the  sound  of  hymn-sing- 
ing ;  shepherds  on  the  steep  hill-sides  sing  Mr. 
Sankey's  hymns  while  tending  their  sheep  ;   errand 


FAREWELL   TO  SCOTLAND,  209 

boys  whistle  the  tunes  as  they  walk  along  the  streets 
of  the  Highland  towns ;  while  in  not  a  few  of  the  lordly 
castles  of  the  north  they  express  genuine  feeling. 

A  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England  heard  a 
Scotch  minister  speak  of  the  work  in  Scotland  at  the 
Mildmay  Conference.  He  was  just  on  the  eve  of 
starting  for  Norway,  where  he  intended  to  spend  his 
holidays.  He  decided  to  come  to  Scotland  instead  ; 
it  was  his  first  visit  to  the  Xorth,  and  he  enjoyed  the 
magnificent  mountain  scenery  very  much.  But  he 
enjoyed  the  spiritual  work  still  more.  u  Xever,"  said 
he,  "  have  I  enjoyed  a  holiday  like  this — such  breath- 
ings of  the  Spirit,  such  holy  joy,  such  delightful  meet- 
ings as  I  have  seen  during  my  visit  to  Scotland. 
Truly  this  has  been  a  memorable  year  for  Scotland. 
Let  the  readers  of  Times  of  .Blessing  pray  that  Messrs. 
Moody  and  Sankey's  labors  may  be  abundantly  blessed 
in  their  visit  to  Ireland,  and  that  the  wTinter  of  toil  in 
our  great  centers  of  population,  to  which  they  are 
looking  forward,  may  be  productive  of  even  more 
glorious  results  than  have  followed  their  labors  in 
Scotland.". 

The  farewell  to  Scotland  we  must  give  in  the  words 
of  an  eye-witness.     It  was  at  the  close  of  the  Inverness 


210  HEARTY  THANKS. 

Convention.  "Mr.  Moody  referred  with  very  much 
feeling  to  the  work  in  Scotland.  His  sentences  were 
interrupted  by  bursts  of  tears ;  he  bent  over  the  pulpit 
sobbing,  and  buried  his  face  in  his  hands.  Among 
the  audience  the  flood  of  emotion  was  overpowering ; 
the  whole  meeting  was  bathed  in  tears.  It  was  a 
moment  of  inexpressible  tenderness ;  the  thoughts  and 
feelings  of  past  months  came  rushing  back  in  a  tor- 
rent. Mr.  Moody  said  if  he  had  given  offense  to  any 
one  since  he  came  to  Scotland,  he  now  asked  to  be 
forgiven.  He  would  leave  Scotland  with  a  sigh,  and 
he  hoped  that  he  and  his  dear  friend  Mr.  Sankey 
would  be  remembered  affectionately  in  prayer  at 
many  a  Scottish  hearth,  as  they  went  further  in  their 
work.  The  last  nine  months  had  been  the  dearest  in 
his  life.  He  was  leaving  friends  who  would  be  ever 
dear  to  him,  and  whose  kindness  he  could  never  for- 
get. Some  had  departed,  especially  the  honored 
friend  (Principal  Fairbairn)  who  had  opened  the 
Glasgow  Convention,  and  had  there  delivered  a  speech 
that  stirred  every  heart,  and  was  said  to  be  the 
speech  of  his  life.  In  conclusion,  he  wished  to  do 
what  he  had  not  done  before — to  thank  briefly  those 
who  had  furthered  his  work.     First,  he  had  to  thank 


DWELLING  IN  UNITY.  211 

the  ministers.  From  them  he  had  received  nothing 
but  kindness  ;  all  denominations  had  cordially  worked 
with  him.  "  As  a  layman,  I  did  not  expect  it.  And 
Mr.  Sankey  and  I  have  received  far  warmer  welcome 
than  we  deserved.  Secondly,  we  owe  our  gratitude 
to  the  Press.  Little  has  been  written  we  could  object 
to.  "Wherever  we  have  gone,  the  Press  has  given  us 
a  helping  hand,  and  aided  in  the  success  of  our  work. 
Thirdly,  I  have  to  thank  the  young  men  of  Scotland, 
who,  wherever  I  have  gone,  have  rallied  round  me  in 
such  a  remarkable  way.  To  officers  of  the  church,  to 
parents,  and  all  others  who  have  aided  us,  I  return 
my  thanks.  There  has  not  been  one  word  of  strife 
or  discord  among  the  fellow-laborers  all  these  months  ; 
and  even  in  the  open  meetings,  which  some  supposed 
would  open  the  door  to  animosities  and  stupidity, 
there  has  been  nothing  objectionable.  God  has  won- 
derfully kept  us.  And  now,  will  you  let  God's  Spirit 
go  on  working?  Very  much  more  may  be  done. 
Dear  friends,  farewell !  May  God  bless  you,  and  by 
and  by  may  we  meet  on  the  eternal  shore !  " 

Of  the  spirit  in  which  the  work  had  been  prose- 
cuted, and  in  which  he  now  looked  toward  Ireland, 
a  hint  was  given  in  his  Bible-reading,  when  he  said 


212  DWELLING  IN  UNITY. 

that  in  considering  what  should  be  the  subject  for  the 
Bible-reading,  he  thought  what  was  it  he  wanted 
most  himself.  When  nine  months  ago  he  came  to 
Scotland  a  perfect  stranger,  he  felt  utterly  powerless, 
and  could  only  have  been  sustained  by  the  Holy 
Spirit's  help ;  now  when  he  was  going  to  Ireland  he 
felt  just  the  same;  and  if  he  attempted  to  go  there 
resting  upon  the  grace  given  for  Scotland  he  should 
fail.  He  needed  a  fresh  anointing  for  this  new 
service. 

In  this  spirit  of  entire  reliance  upon  the  Lord,  Mr. 
Moody  contemplated  the  Irish  field.  God  honors 
those  who  honor  Him.  We  shall  see  how  much  this 
confidence  in  the  Lord  was  justified  by  the  results  of 
effort  in  Ireland. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  NORTH  OF  IRELAND. 

Belfast  is  the  capital  of  Ulster,  the  northernmost 
of  the  four  provinces  of  Ireland.  It  is  also  the  capi- 
tal of  the  Presbyterianism  which  has  become  a  prom- 
inent feature  of  Ulster,  and  of  which  the  United 
States  contain  so  many  representatives,  the  emigra- 
tion to  the  Western  world  having  proceeded  for  a 
century  and  a  half.  Belfast  has,  probably,  a  popula- 
tion of  over  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  persons ; 
it  is  marked  by  much  enterprize  and  activity.  It  is 
not  only  nearest  to  Scotland,  but  it  is  more  like  Scot- 
land in  habits  and  feeling  than  any  other  town  in 
Ireland. 

As  far  back  as  the  month  of  January,  the  people  of 
Belfast  were  promised  a  visit  from  Messrs.  Moody 
and  Sankey  in  May.  But  other  duties  interfered. 
They  reached  Belfast  on  Saturday  the  5th  of  Sep- 
tember (1874).  A  local  committee  had  made  arrange- 
ments for  their  services. 


214  BELFAST. 

On  the  first  Sabbath  an  early  meeting  at  eight  a.m. 
was  announced  for  Donegal  Square  Wesleyan  Church, 
of  Christian  workers,  chiefly  Sabbath-school  teachers 
and  office-bearers  in  churches.  By  the  time  the  hour 
for  opening  arrived,  the  aisles  were  occupied  as  well 
as  the  pews.  Ministers  of  all  the  evangelical  denom- 
inations were  present.  The  One  Hundredth  Psalm — ■ 
so  of  ten  employed  in  Scotland  ;  Mr.  Sankey's  hymns; 
prayers  by  Rev.  W.  Park  ;  an  address  by  Mr.  Moody, 
on  the  things  God  employed,  base,  weak,  foolish;  a 
sermon  in  one  of  the  largest  Presbyterian  churches 
at  noon ;  the  building  over-crowded ;  the  service  be- 
gun before  the  time,  and  a  similar  service  in  St. 
Enochs',  the  very  largest  church-edifice  in  the  place — 
these  gave  to  at  least  five  thousand  persons  the  oppor- 
tunity to  hear  the  truth,  many  of  them  neglectors  of 
the  sanctuary. 

Next  day,  a  noon  prayer-meeting  was  begun,  and 
Mr.  W.  A.  Breakey  thus  describes  the  progress  of  the 
evangelists'  labors.  The  Donegal  Place  Wesleyan 
Church  was  the  place. 

"  The  building  was  crowded  long  before  the  hour 
of  commencing.  There  were  present  Rev.  J.  W. 
M'Kay,  Rev.  Dr.  Applebe,  Rev.  Henry  Osborne,  Rev. 


EXTEMPORIZED  SERVICES.  215 

George  Shaw,  Rev.  J.  B.  Wylie,  Rev.  William  John- 
ston, Rev.  William  Park,  Rev.  H.  Mi  Williamson, 
and  many  ministers  from  the  country  districts  around. 
It  was  felt  that  it  would  be  necessary  in  future  to 
move  to  the  largest  of  our  central  churches ;  and  it 
was  temporarily  arranged  that  the  noon  meeting 
should  be  held  in  the  May  Street  Presbyterian 
Church  till  further  notice.  Mr.  Sankey  sang  as 
usual,  both  in  leading  the  congregation  and  solos, 
accompanied  by  the  organ.  The  address  by  Mr. 
Moody  on  prayer  was  well-timed  and  earnest.  Mr. 
Johnston,  Mr.  Williamson,  Mr.  Osborne,  Mr.  Sanke}-, 
and  others  led  in  prayer.  The  evening  meeting  was 
announced  for  Rosemary  Street  Presbyterian  Church 
at  eight  p.  M.  This  church  is  capable  of  accommodat- 
ing about  two  thousand  persons,  and  at  seven  it  was 
quite  full ;  and  those  who  arrived  afterward  could 
barely  get  inside  the  porch,  just  to  hear  that  there 
was  no  possibility  of  their  getting  into  the  church. 
MeoBre,  Moody  and  Sankey  having  arrived  at  half- 
past  seven,  commenced  the  service  immediately,  it 
having  been  announced  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Park  that 
two  more  churches  would  be  opened,  viz.,  Donegal 
Street   Independent    Church,   and   Donegal    Square 


216  SEPARATE  GATHERINGS. 

Wesleyan  Church.  Thither  many  went;  but  not- 
withstanding the  crowd  remained.  Mr.  Sankey  sang 
two  of  his  solos,  and  led  the  congregation  in  two  other 
pieces.  Mr.  Moody  addressed  the  people  from  the 
text,  i  There  is  no  difference.'  The  manner  in  which 
he  applied  the  numerous  anecdotes  he  tells  made  the 
message  most  powerful,  and  a  great  many  remained 
to  be  spoken  to  on  the  all-important  question.  There 
was  also  an  after-meeting  for  inquirers  in  the  Inde- 
pendent Church,  to  which  Mr.  Sankey  went  just  be- 
fore Mr.  Moody  commenced  his  address.  Rev.  Mr. 
Johnston,  Rev.  John  White,  Rev.  James  Robertson, 
Presbyterian,  Independent,  and  Wesleyan  respective- 
ly, addressed  and  took  part  in  that  meeting." 

A  meeting  for  women  only  was  tried  in  Fisherwick 
Place  Church ;  Rev.  H.  M.  Williamson,  pastor,  pre- 
sided. The  large  church  was  crowded.  Mr.  Moody 
addressed  the  assembly.  An  evening  meeting,  for 
men  only,  was  tried  in  Rosemary  Street  Presbyterian 
Church.  About  fifty  inquirers  remained  for  an  after 
conversational  meeting.     Both  were  continued. 

On  Wednesday,  9th  September,  the  noon  meet- 
ing was  held  in  May  Street  Church,  which  was 
crowded,  as  was  the  meeting  for  women  assembled  in 


AVOWING  CONVICTION.  217 

Fisherwick  Place  Church.  At  eight  p.m.  another 
crowded  meeting  for  men  was  held  in  Rosemary 
Street  Church.  The  Donegal  Street  Independent 
Church  was  opened  for  a  general  meeting  of  men  and 
women,  and  it  too  was  largely  attended.  Mr.  Sankey 
and  others  addressed  it.  Many  in  both  places  re- 
mained for  the  after-meetings.  This  being  the  usual 
evening  for  prayer-meetings  in  the  various  Presbyte- 
rian churches,  it  was  remarked  that  the  attendance  at 
them  was  if  anything  larger  than  usual.  There  is  an 
evident  stirring  among  God's  people  to  keep  pleading 
with  Him.  While  Mr.  Moody  preached,  many  prayed. 
The  committee  of  arrangements  announced  a  w^eek 
in  advance  the  chairman  and  the  subjects  for  the 
noonday  prayer-meeting.  At  the  evening  meeting 
for  men  only  (the  division  became  necessary  from 
want  of  a  larger  building,)  the  attendance  was  very 
large.  Mr.  Moody,  after  prayer,  asked  the  body  of 
the  house  to  be  cleared,  and  requested  those  who 
wanted  to  be  Christians,  and  those  who  had  professed 
to  become  Christians  the  night  before,  to  come  into 
the  place  reserved  for  them.  During  the  singing  of 
the  hymn,  "  I  Hear  Thy  welcome  Voice,"  he  asked 
those  who  really  were  anxious  not  to  be  afraid  to 
10 


218  AVOWING  CONVICTION. 

show  it.  Almost  the  first  who  came  forward  were 
two  soldiers, — one  a  color-sergeant  of  the  Thirteenth 
Regiment,  stationed  here.  This  had  a  good  effect, 
and  gave  courage  to  several  more  timid  ones.  There 
were,  say,  forty  at  least  who  thus  came  forward,  and 
several  ministers  and  Christian  friends  conversed  with 
them — sometimes  individually,  sometimes  in  groups 
of  twos  and  threes.  It  was  very  solemn  to  watch 
them  anxiously  stooping  forward,  listening  to  the  old, 
old  story  of  the  way  of  life.  It  was  noticeable  how 
easy  speaking  was  to  the  class  ef  young  men  who  are 
in  Sabbath-schools — how  useful  their  stock  of  scrip- 
tural information  is  in  such  circumstances ;  an  intelli- 
gent faith  is  the  simplest  mode  of  description  which 
can  be  given  of  their  grasp  of  the  truth.  It  was  felt 
that  this  was  indeed  a  blessed  night  to  many.  Some 
went  away  still  anxious ;  others  with  beaming  coun- 
tenances, in  which  might  almost  be  read  that  they 
had  found  peace. 

So  the  meetings  proceeded  from  day  to  day.  The 
little  boys  who  used  to  be  seen  selling  newspapers  on 
the  streets,  supplied  themselves  with  a  stock  of 
Sankey's  melodies,  and  plied  the  passers-by  with, 
"  Hymn-books  with  songs  sung  at  Moody  and  San- 


THE   WOMEN'S  MEETING  219 

key's  meetings  !  "  Large  numbers  of  these  were  put 
in  circulation. 

On  Saturday  a  children's  meeting  was  held  in  May 
Street  Church  at  noon — Mr.  Sankey  presiding.  The 
church  was  crowded,  the  day  being  fine.  Perhaps  a 
little  better  than  one-half  were  children,  a  great  many 
of  their  parents  being  present  with  them.  Rev. 
Messrs.  Shaw,  Park,  Robertson,  Dr.  Watts,  Woods, 
etc.,  and  Charles  Finlay,  Esq.,  J.P.,  were  present. 
Rev.  John  White  and  others  led  in  prayer.  Rev. 
Mr.  Robertson  (Wesleyan),  gave  an  excellent  address. 
Mr.  Sankey  was  there,  sang  "When  He  cometh," 
and  addressed  the  children  suitably.  Mr.  Charles 
Finlay  prayed.  Among  the  requests  for  prayer  read, 
was  one  which  Dr.  Watts  stated  was  for  a  young  man 
who  had  recently  adopted  materialistic  views. 

At  the  end  of  the  first  week  the  Rev.  Win.  Park 
writes : 

"  The  meetings  have  been  immense.  With  the 
exception  of  the  first  two  evening  meetings,  when 
the  crowd  was  overwhelming,  they  have  been  calm, 
quiet,  earnest,  almost  beyond  description.  The  wo- 
men's meeting  at  2  o'clock  has  been  most  popular. 
But  the  deepest  impression  seems  to  have  been  made 


220  IN  THE  OPEN  AIR. 

on  young  men.  Fifty  or  sixty  would  be  a  very 
moderate  average  of  those  who  have  attended  from 
night  to  night  the  inquirers'  meeting,  and  on  last 
evening  the  number  seemed  larger  than  ever.  It 
was  most  interesting  last  night  to  go  from  seat  to 
seat,  and,  in  answer  to  questions  asked,  to  hear  such 
replies  as  these:  'Yes,  sir,  I  think  I  found  Christ 
here  on  Monday  night ; '  '  I  gave  Christ  my  heart  on 
"Wednesday  night;'  'I  should  so  wish  to  trust  in 
Christ,  but  I  cannot  come.'  It  is  hard  to  move 
young  men  in  a  busy  town  like  Belfast;  and  the 
presence  of  so  many  in  the  inquiry  rooms,  and  the 
tears  which  so  many  were  shedding  freely,  proved 
plainly  how  deeply  they  are  moved  now.  We  do 
not  know,  of  course,  how  this  movement  may  pro- 
ceed, and  we  must  be  very  cautious  in  counting,  up 
results,  but  we  thank  God  for  what  He  is  doing." 

On  Sabbath,  the  13th  September,  Mr.  Moody  held 
a  second  meeting  for  Christian  workers,  at  the  early 
hour  of  eight,  and  the  place  was  crowded,  so  that  the 
overflow  filled  an  adjoining  room.  The  address  was 
touching  entire  consecration  to  God,  and  more  whole- 
hearted activity  in  his  service.  An  open-air  meeting 
was  held  at  half -past  two  o'clock  in  an  open  space,  in 


MILL-WORKERS.  221 


the  midst  of  the  mill-workers  of  our  town.  The 
attendance  was  estimated  variously  at  from  ten  to 
twenty  thousand  !  The  weather  was  exceedingly 
favorable.  Mr.  Moody's  address  was  founded  upon 
Mark  xvi.  15,  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature."  Mr.  Sankey  sang  "  Jesus 
of  Xazareth  passeth  by,"  and  the  glistening  eye,  and 
the  deep  sighs  of  many,  showed  that  it  was  even  so. 

In  the  evening,  Mr.  Moody  held  a  meeting  exclu- 
sively for  inquirers;  none  else  were  admitted:  the 
attendance  was  upwards  of  three  hundred. 

At  the  meeting  for  women,  on  Monday,  in  Fisher- 
wick  Place,  there  were  present  about  fifteen  hundred. 
An  evening  meeting  for  women  was  held,  to  give 
to  workers  in  mills  and  warehouses  opportunity  to 
attend.  More  than  an  hour  before  the  time  of  meet- 
ing, the  streets  around  were  packed  with  a  dense  mass 
of  women  ;  and  when  the  gates  were  opened,  the 
place  was  filled  almost  in  a  moment;  and  after  that, 
with  the  overflow,  three  large  churches.  In  all  these 
meetings,  the  anxious,  willing  to  be  spoken  to,  were 
more  than  could  be  overtaken. 

Strangers  from  long  distances  visited  Belfast  to 
attend  the  meetings,  and  in  this  way  the  work  was 
widelv  extended. 


222  MILL-WORKERS. 


The  most  marked  features  were  desire  to  hear  the 
"Word  of  God,  willingness  to  be  spoken  to  upon  the 
state  of  the  soul,  frank  confession  on  the  part  of  many 
that  they  do  not  savingly  know  Jesus ;  and  most  blessed 
of  all,  the  equally  frank  confession  on  the  part  of  many 
that  they  have  "  found  Him  of  whom  Moses,  in  the 
law  and  the  prophets,  did  write,  Jesus  of  Nazareth." 

On  Thursday,  17th  September,  the  number  waiting 
to  be  spoken  to  was  so  great,  that  an  attempt  to  speak 
to  each  individually  was  scarcely  made.  Two  or  three 
addresses  were  given  with  the  view  of  pointing  them 
to  the  Lamb  of  God. 

The  Friday  mid-day  meeting  was  for  professing 
Christians — the  subject  u  Assurance." 

The  work  began,  meantime,  to  spread  to  the  adja- 
cent towns.  Meetings  were  held  for  some  four  nights 
in  Bangor,  ten  miles  from  Belfast,  by  H.  Moorhouse, 
Rev.  II.  M.  Williamson,  and  some  others,  and  consid- 
ering the  size  of  the  town,  the  attendance  there  was 
equally  remarkable. 

An  intelligent  observer,  from  the  center  of  Ireland, 
thus  described  his  impressions  of  the  meeting  on  the 
second  Sabbath.  It  may  stand  for  the  description  of 
many  similar  occasions : 


M1LL-W0REER8.  223 


i;  The  opening  prayer,  by  the  Moderator  of  the 
General  Assembly,  could  be  heard  everywhere,  and 
distinctly  too,  by  all  that  vast  multitude.  It  was 
really  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  All  were  brought  unto 
God's  presence  for  a  blessing.  To  be  in  the  open  air, 
it  was  extraordinary ;  the  people  must  have  felt  them- 
selves being  lifted  up  right  into  the  presence  of  God. 

u  Mr.  Sankey  then  sang,  alone,  '  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
passeth  by.'  It  was  not  difficult  to  hear  him  every- 
where, as  there  was  scarce  a  stir,  and  God  was  really 
arresting  the  people,  who  were  eagerly  drinking  in 
every  utterance  of  that  sweet  hymn,  so  full  and  so 
fragrant  of  '  Jesus  only.' 

"  During  the  address,  it  seemed  as  if  some  mighty 
spell  was  binding  the  people,  and  riveting  their  atten- 
tion. Mr.  Moody  preached  from  '  Go  ye  into  all  the 
world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature.' 
I  never  heard  the  gospel  outside  preached  with  such 
power  before  ;  all  could  hear ;  all  might  take.  As  I 
stood  listening,  I  could  not  help  saying  to  myself, 
1  Oh,  if  I  was  a  sinner  unsaved,  I  could  be  saved  here 
to-day  a  thousand  times  over,'  as  the  Lord  Jesus  was 
set  forth  in  such  a  variety  of  ways.  But  I  am  certain 
as   the   faithful  word  was   proclaimed  with   burning 


224  MILL-WORKERS. 


heart  and  lip,  that  not  a  few  were  taken  out  of  them- 
selves and  put  right  into  '  the  arms  of  Jesus.'  God's 
dear  children,  too,  were  surely  quickened  and  blessed. 
I  could  hear  the  4  Amen,'  and  '  praise,'  and  '  thank 
God,'  as  the  word  came  down  in  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  upon  that  great  audience,  going  up  from 
the  hearts  of  many  of  them. 

"  Mr.  Moody  said,  '  God  has  put  it  into  the  hearts 
of  these  ministers  to  call  this  meeting  to-day.  Now, 
I  have  a  full  and  free  salvation  for  every  one  of  you, 
for  the  worst  of  you,  and  the  best  of  you.  The  gospel 
is  for  the  very  dregs  of  sin  and  sorrow ;  the  apostles 
might  reason  concerning  this  man  and  that  man,  and 
this  people  and  that  people ;  and  say,  '  Oh,  there's  no 
use  in  my  going  there.'  But,  in  the  face  of  the  com- 
mand, all  must  vanish,  for  they  had  a  gospel  for  all, 
'  for  every  creature.'  Those  who  will  not  take  eternal 
life,  their  damnation  is  sure." 

Some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  interest  felt  in  the 
meetings  from  the  circumstance  that  for  the  second 
daily  meeting  for  women,  in  Rosemary  Street  Church, 
an  immense  congregation  assembled  an  hour  before  the 
time  for  commencing,  when  it  was  found  necessary  to 
close  the  gates.     By  this  time  a  disappointed  crowd 


A  PROTRACTED  MEETING.  225 

had  assembled,  and,  after  some  delay,  it  was  announced 
that  May  Street  Presbyterian  Church,  Donegal  Place 
Primitive  Wesleyah  Church,  and  Donegal  Square 
We&leyan  Church  would  be  opened  for  the  "  overflow." 
To  these  both  men  and  women  were  admitted. 

After  the  Friday  evening  meeting,  when  the  Eev. 
T.  Y.  Killen  had  closed  with  prayer,  Mr.  Moody  asked 
those  in  the  assembly  who  had  not  accepted  Christ, 
and  yet  wished  to  do  so,  to  stand  up.  Mr.  Moody  said, 
truly,  ';  Thank  God,  I  can't  count  them,  there  are  so 
many  !  "  He  then  invited  those  in  the  gallery  down, 
and  directed  the  spectators  and  others  present  to 
leave,  and  clear  a  space  in  the  body  of  the  church,  in 
order  that  the  inquirers  might  be  conversed  with. 
A  large  number  came  forward,  far  more  than  at  any 
preceding  meeting,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  the 
church  could  be  cleared  at  a  reasonable  hour,  owing 
to  the  groups  in  conversation  with  troubled  ones 
scattered  through  the  church.  Eev.  Hugh  Hanna 
dismissed  the  meeting,  after  prayer. 

The  Saturday  (19th  September)  meeting,  in  May 
Street,  was  for  the  young,  and  was  conducted  by  Mr. 
Sankey.  The  attendance  was  so  great,  that  after  the 
aisles  were  filled,  the  doors  had  to  be  locked,  and  many 


226  AN  AWAKENED  TEACHER. 

turned  away.  Mr.  Sankey  was  followed  by  Revs.  Dr. 
Knox,  Hugh  Hanna,  and  George  Shaw.  Several 
hymns  and  the  Twenty-third  psalm  were  sung.  It  was 
a  delightful  meeting,  and  the  children  seemed  to  enjoy 
it  heartily. 

The  Rev.  William  Park,  the  faithful  chronicler  of 
the  work  (successor  to  Rev.  John  MacNaugkton), 
writes  at  the  close  of  the  second  week :  "  The  after 
meetings  are,  in  their  own  way,  as  crowded  as  the 
regular  services.  The  lecture-room  and  two  class- 
rooms of  Rosemary  Street  were  filled  each  evening 
with  men  and  women  waiting  to  be  spoken  to  person- 
ally ;  and,  on  two  occasions,  personal  dealing  wTith  in- 
dividual souls  could  not  be  carried  out  on  account  of 
the  vast  numbers  to  be  dealt  with,  and  general  state- 
ments of  the  plan  of  salvation,  by  one  after  another, 
had  to  be  resorted  to 'instead.  Many  will  come  out, 
under  the  influence  of  feeling  no  doubt — especially  in 
an  assembly  of  women.  But  the  private  conversa- 
tions we  have  had  with  many,  both  men  and  women, 
show  how  wide-spread,  and,  in  a  multitude  of  instances, 
how  deep  is  this  religious  earnestness,  this  longing 
after  Christ.  '  I  have  been  teaching  a  Sabbath-school 
class  for  years,'  said  one  young  lady,  '  and  the  awful 


VISITORS.  227 


thought  laid  hold  of  me  the  other  evening  here,  that 
I  have  been  teaching  what  I  knew  nothing  about ; 
but  I  have  really  given  myself  to  my  Saviour  now.' 
'  Pray  for  me,'  writes  a  mother,  c  that  my  unfaithful- 
ness to  my  own  sons,  none  of  whom  are  converted, 
may  be  forgiven,  and  that  my  mouth  may  be  opened 
to  speak  to  them  about  salvation.'  '  I  believe  I  found 
Christ  here  two  nights  ago,'  said  a  young  man  one 
evening,  '  and  I  have  brought  two  of  my  companions 
here,  to  be  talked  to  to-night.'  '  I  knew  the  truth,' 
writes  another,  ■  But  I  never  seemed  to  feel  it  before. 
I  trust  I  can  now  say  and  feel  that  Christ  has  found 
me,  even  me,  cold-hearted  and  dead  as  I  was.'  ISTeed 
I  tell  you  there  are  difficulties  and  hindrances  ?  And 
yet  the  Lord  has  been  pleased,  so  far,  wondrously  to 
open  the  door  for  His  servants ;  and,  as  far  as  I  am 
aware,  at  no  time  has  there  been  so  deep  a  religious 
feeling  abroad  in  our  town  and  province  since  1859,  as 
there  is  at  this  moment.  Ministers,  elders,  Christian 
men  and  women,  are  coming  from  far  and  near  to 
hear  the  good  news,  to  see  the  good  work.  We  have 
several  ministers  and  friends  from  Scotland  here  at 
present.  May  they  carry  home  with  them  good 
tidings  ;   may  they  be  stirred  up  themselves,  and  be 


228  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 

used  by  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  means  of  stirring  up 
others." 

In  the  Witness,  a  weekly  religious  paper  which 
has  done  good  service  in  diffusing  information,  the 
catholicity  of  the  movement  is  emphasized : 

"  Not  the  least  gratifying  feature  of  the  movement 
is  the  happy  bringing  together  of  all  evangelical  de- 
nominations to  which  it  has  given  rise.  In  all  the 
meetings,  Presbyterians,  Episcopalians,  and  Metho- 
dists are  mixed  and  mingled  without  distinction.  On 
Monday  night,  in  Rosemary  Street  Church,  the  Rev.Mr. 
Dickson,  incumbent  of  the  Mariners'  Episcopal  Church, 
was  one  of  the  busiest  among  the  inquirers  ;  and  on 
Tuesday  evening,  the  Rev.  I.  H.  Deacon,  incumbent 
of  Trinity  Episcopal  Church,  occupied  the  pulpit  of 
Eglinton  Street  Presbyterian  Church.  If  the  present 
stirring  do  nothing  more  than  help  to  banish  the  bitter- 
ness of  sectarianism,  and  lead  Christian  men  to  live  and 
work  in  accordance  with  the  truth  that  we  are  all  one 
body  in  Christ,  it  will  have  wrought  unquestionably  a 
work  for  which  none  can  be  too  thankful." 

On  the  third  Sabbath  the  "  overflow "  from  the 
8  o'clock  morning  meeting  filled  two  other  large 
buildings.     A  second  open-air  meeting  was  held,  as 


WORKERS  WANTED.  229 

before  ;  and,  at  a  meeting  of  anxious  inquirers  in  the 
Ulster  Hall,  the  largest  building  in  town,  at  7, 
the  area  of  that  building  was  as  full  as  it  could  com- 
fortably be  for  the  purposes  of  the  meeting  about 
half-past  6.  Rev.  Mr.  Park,  Rev.  Dr.  Murphy,  and 
subsequently  several  other  ministers  in  town,  and 
many  Christian  workers,  were  in  attendance  to  con- 
verse with  them.  Many  professed  to  have  had  their 
doubts  removed.  Mr.  Moody  and  Mr.  Sankey  left 
the  meeting  in  charge  of  the  ministers,  and  at  9 
o'clock  went  to  May  Street  Church,  to  a  large  meet- 
ing of  men  assembled  there,  which  Mr.  Moody  stated 
he  had  specially  convened  in  order  to  enlist  young 
men  in  active  Christian  work. 

Four  crowded  meetings  were  held  on  Monday 
(21st  Sept.),  and  the  Tuesday  evening  meeting  was 
announced  for  St.  Enoch's  at  8  o'clock,  but  as  early 
as  half-past  5  there  were  persons  waiting  for  the 
gates  to  be  opened.  The  meeting  was  commenced  by 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Hanna,  pastor  of  the  church,  at  a 
quarter-past  7.  Rev.  Mr.  Ballard,  Rev.  Dr.  Knox, 
Mr.  Sankey,  and  others  took  part  in  the  meeting. 
About  one-half  of  the  assembly  waited  for  an  after 
meeting.      This   was  taken   charge   of  by  the  Rev. 


230  SCRIPTURE-SEARCHING. 

Messrs.  Hanna,  Henry,  Carlisle,  and  Shaw.  Mr. 
Moody  asked  the  anxious  to  retire  to  Ekenhead 
Church,  which  was  speedily  almost  filled.  There 
cannot  have  been  less  than  a  couple  of  hundred  who 
came  over  here  to  be  talked  to  by  ministers  and 
Christian  workers,  and  among  them  were  many  in- 
teresting cases.  Eglinton  Presbyterian  Church  was 
opened  about  half-past  7  o'clock  for  the  "  overflow  " 
from  St.  Enoch's,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Deacon,  Episcopal 
Church,  took  the  chair  there.  Rev.  Mr.  Macintosh 
and  others  spoke.  The  Frederick  Street  Wesleyan 
Church  was  also  opened  for  the  "  overflow." 

On  the  23d,  a  new  feature  was  introduced  to  Bel- 
fast, namely,  a  Bible-reading  by  Mr.  Moody  at  2 
o'clock  in  Fisherwick  Place  Church.  He  urged  upon 
all  the  necessity  of  systematic  and  regular  Bible- 
reading,  recommending  the  plan  of  reading  and  com- 
paring the  various  passages  on  a  particular  subject,  and 
exhausting  it  before  proceeding  to  another.  In  the 
evening,  more  than  an  hour  before  the  time  appointed, 
St.  Enoch's  Church  was  crowded,  so  that  the  meeting 
practically  commenced  at  a  quarter-past  7.  Rev. 
Messrs.  Hanna  and  Robertson  took  part  in  the  service, 
and  Mr.  Sankey  led  the  singing.  Inquirers,  as  be- 
0* 


CONCURRENT  MEETINGS.  231 

fore,  were  directed  to  retire  to  Ekenliead  Church, 
while  the  young  men  were  sent  to  the  men's  meeting 
in  May  Street.  About  one-half  of  the  assembly  in 
St.  Enoch's  remained  for  an  after  meeting,  conducted 
by  Rev.  Messrs.  Simpson,  Spence,  Black,  and  Han- 
na.     Ekenhead  Church  was  filled  with  inquirers. 

On  Saturday,  26th  September,  the  noonday  meet- 
ing for  children  was  held  in  May  Street  Church. 
The  attendance  was  so  large  that  it  was  necessary 
to  close  the  gates,  and  many  left  disappointed. 

The  Kev.  TV".  Park  says,  after  the  third  week's  la- 
bors :  "  St.  Enoch's,  Mr.  Moody  says,  is  one  of  the 
largest  churches,  if  not  the  largest,  he  has  preached 
in,  in  Europe,  and  it  is  full  every  night  an  hour  be- 
fore the  time.  A  separate  church  has  now  been  taken 
for  the  inquirers,  and  they  pass  to  it  from  St.  Enoch's 
as  soon  as  Mr.  Moody's  address  is  concluded.  Minis- 
ters and  Christian  workers  make  their  way  to  it  about 
the  same  time,  and  no  one  else  is  admitted.  Thus 
perfect  quiet  is  insured.  The  2  o'clock  meeting  is  no 
longer  set  apart  for  women.  It  is  a  Bible-reading, 
and  all  are  admitted.  And  every  evening  there  are 
now  five  meetings  in  five  different  churches,  including 
the  inquiry-meeting  and  the  young  men's  meeting. 


232  LONGING  SOULS  SATISFIED. 

"  There  are  one  or  two  things  which  may  be  noticed 
with  regard  to  the  week's  work.  Christians  are  be- 
ing  deeply  moved  and  roused  to  diligence  and  duty. 
Last  Sabbath  morning  the  meeting  for  Christian 
workers,  which  had  been  removed  to  May  Street 
Church  on  account  of  its  size,  filled  every  corner  of 
the  building  ten  minutes  before  8  o'clock,  and  its 
overflowings  filled  two  other  places  of  meeting  besides. 
Many  are  now  offering  themselves,  Christian  women 
as  well  as  men,  to  engage  in  the  work  of  directing 
inquirers,  and  they  now  find  their  own  souls  stirred 
and  their  faith  strengthened  in  their  efforts  to  guide 
and  comfort  others.  I  believe  that  in  no  other  town 
which  Mr.  Moody  has  visited  has  there  been  such  a 
number  of  anxious  inquirers  from  the  very  outset  as 
in  Belfast.  There  seems  to  have  been  a  mighty 
movement  at  work  unseen  for  months  past  among 
young  men  and  women — an  anxious  longing  after 
Christ,  which  made  itself  felt  and  seen  at  once  when 
these  special  services  began.  The  meeting  in  the 
Ulster  Hall  on  last  Sabbath  evening  was  one  of  the 
most  precious  and  happy  services  I  have  ever  attend- 
ed. It  was  held  at  7  o'clock,  to  prevent  ordinary 
church-going  people  coming  to  fill  up  the  space  which 


"  OTHERS  MOCKING."  233 

was  required  for  others.  No  one  was  admitted  at 
the  door  but  those  who  wished  to  be  talked  with 
about  salvation,  and  those  who  had  tickets  from  the 
committee  as  workers.  The  immense  hall  was  not 
too  large  for  the  numbers  who  came.  Two  hours 
were  spent  in  earnest  private  conversation.  Then  all 
gathered  into  the  floor  of  the  hall,  and  every  one  who 
had  a  text  to  repeat  was  asked  to  rise  and  give  it. 
Many  of  the  most  precious  promises  of  God's  word 
were  thus  brought  out,  accompanied  sometimes  with 
a  single  sentence  of  explanation  or  illustration.  One 
or  two  hymns  were  sung,  and  some  prayers  offered 
Dp  ;  but  even  after  Mr.  Moody  left  many  remained, 
unwilling  to  leave  till  they  could  find  rest  in  Christ. 
I  do  believe  that  many  in  that  meeting  were  enabled 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  receive  and  rest  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  as  He  was  freely  offered  to  them  in  the 
gospel.  If,  from  this  circle  of  seekers  and  believers, 
we  pass  to  the  outer  circle  of  mere  spectators,  their 
feelings  and  words  are  of  the  most  varied  kind. 
Some  hate  this  revival  work  with  a  bitter  hatred. 
Some  mock  it  and  caricature  the  workers  and  their 
work.  But  not  a  few  feel  solemnized  as  they  see 
God's  hand  so  plainly  in  this  movement.     They  are 


234  REPORTS  BLESSED. 

willing  to  be  spoken  to  about  religion,  and  willing  to 
think  about  what  is  said.  Not  a  few  young  men 
who  seemed  given  over  to  the  world  and  sin,  are  now 
asking  the  way  to  heaven  ;  and  it  is  touching  to  see 
these  youths,  to  many  of  whom  we  should  scarcely 
have  ventured  to  speak  about  religion  before,  with 
tears  in  their  eyes,  waiting  so  earnestly  to  be  talked 
to  by  any  Christian  about  the  way  of  life.  Here  is 
one  of  the  requests  for  prayer  handed  in  last  Friday : 
'  Pray  for  a  young  man  who  has  been  in  deep  dark- 
ness and  strong  temptation,  so  that  he  has  had 
thoughts  of  drowning  himself,  but  has  now  found  his 
way  to  the  inquiry-meetings/  Here  is  another :  '  A 
young  man  who  is  deeply  anxious  about  his  state  de- 
sires the  prayers  of  this  meeting,  that  he  may  be 
able  to  see  Jesus  as  a  personal  Saviour.'  Last  Sab- 
bath morning  in  my  own  Sabbath-schools,  three 
young  men  presented  themselves  as  teachers.  They 
had  been  brought  to  Christ  at  these  meetings,  and 
wished  to  work  for  Him. 

"  Nor  is  the  blessing  confined  to  those  who  hear 
the  word  which  is  sung  or  spoken  by  those  friends 
who  are  now  in  the  midst  of  us.  In  the  General 
Hospital  at  present  a  young  man  is  lying,  suffering 


THE  SEARCHES  OF  THE  LORD.  235 

from  a  severe  accident.  lie  had  not  been  at  any  of 
these  meetings.  A  medical  man,  who  is  earnest  in 
God's  service,  went  to  see  him,  and  talked  to  him 
about  his  soul  and  his  sin.  On  Thursday  last  he  put 
into  my  hand  a  letter  which  he  had  received  from 
him  in  which  he  says : — '  This  morning  a  terror 
seized  me,  and  I  am  in  awful  anguish  of  soul.  I  see 
how  great  a  sinner  I  have  been,  and  there  is  a  great 
weight  upon  my  soul.  I  would  like  to  see  you  soon.' 
From  places  at  a  distance  we  receive  letters,  saying 
that  the  first  drops  of  the  blessing  have  been  felt, 
and  are  being  anxiously  waited  for." 

When  men  are  in  earnest  in  inviting  attention  to 
God's  word,  they  become  ingenious  in  making  fresh 
presentations  of  its  truth ;  so,  when  the  Eev.  William 
Fleming  Stevenson  of  Rathgar,  Dublin,  presided  at  a 
noon-day  meeting  in  May  Street,  he  addressed  the 
meeting  on  the  subject  of  '*  The  Searches  of  the  Lord," 
viz.,  the  search  after  the  lost  referred  to  in  Luke  xv., 
and  the  search  into  the  heart  referred  to  in  Psalm 
cxxxix.  Mr.  Moody  followed  up  this  by  a  practical 
address  on  the  necessity  of  Christians  searching  their 
hearts,  whether  they  were  as  actively  engaged  in 
Christian  work  as  they  might  be. 


236  HEW  HEARERS  SECURED. 

At  the  Bible-reading  in  Fisherwick  Place  Church. 
Mr.  Moody's  subject  was  the  seven  "  Beholds,"  begin- 
ning with  Job's  confession,  "  Behold,  I  am  vile,"  and 
ending  with  the  statement  as  to  Saul  of  Tarsus,  "  Be- 
hold, he  prayeth." 

A  new  feature  in  Belfast  was  a  boys'  meeting,  com- 
menced in  the  Linen-hall  Church  Schools,  and  ad- 
dressed by  Christian  gentlemen. 

The  correspondent,  of  whose  judicious  and  discrim- 
inating reports  we  have  already  availed  ourselves, 
says,  after  the  fourth  week's  labor : 

"  On  two  occasions  this  week  we  have  tried  the  plan 
of  admitting  by  ticket  to  the  evening  service  in  St. 
Enoch's  Church,  and  have  found  it  to  work  admi- 
rably. These  tickets  are  given  out  in  some  central 
place,  and  the  only  condition  necessary  for  receiving 
them  is,  that  the  persons  who  apply  have  not  yet 
been  able  to  hear  Mr.  Moody  and  Mr.  Sankey.  In 
this  way  these  ticketed  meetings  bring  in  a  new  class, 
and  enable  our  brethren  to  reach,  three  thousand  on 
each  occasion  who  have  not  been  reached  before." 

At  a  special  meeting  for  converted  young  men,  to 
which  admission  was  by  ticket,  nearly  four  hundred 
appeared. 


THANKS  GIVEN.  237 

On  Monday  Fisherwick  Place  Church  was  thrown 
open  to  inquirers  from  2  till  10  o'clock  at  night. 
These  eight  hours  were  divided  into  three  parts,  and 
a  separate  set  of  ministers  arranged  to  be  present  at 
each.  Other  Christian  workers  came  in  large  num- 
bers; and,  though  the  inquirers  were  many,  there  was 
not  one  but  was  personally  dealt  with  about  salvation. 
Those  who  took  part  in  it  felt  it  to  be  one  of  the  most 
profitable  evenings  since  this  good  work  began.  In 
more  than  one  case  young  men  from  a  distance — in 
one  or  two  cases  from  Scotland — have  come  to  Belfast 
on  business,  or  to  attend  these  meetings,  and  have 
found  the  pearl  of  great  price.  To-day,  at  the  noon 
prayer-meeting,  thanks  were  returned  on  behalf  of  a 
mother  in  Edinburgh  for  the  conversion  of  her  son  in 
Belfast.  This  request  for  prayer  was  presented  yes- 
terday:  "  A  young  man  who  came  into  town  to  attend 
these  meetings  is  afraid  of  returning  home  without 
Jesus.  In  the  inquiry-meeting  last  night  he  was 
pointed  to  Christ,  but  has  not  yet  found  peace." 

There  have  been  instances  of  Roman  Catholics 
and  Unitarians  convinced  of  sin  at  these  services,  and 
brought  to  the  feet  of  Jesus.  There  does  not  seem, 
speaking  generally,  to  be  the  same  deep  and  awful 


238  FO  TJRTEEN  HUNDRED  SO ULS. 

sense  of  sin  among  those  who  are  awakened  as  there 
was  in  1859,  but  there  is  a  true  feeling  of  the  need  of 
Christ  as  our  Sacrifice  and  our  Saviour. 

A  young  man  in  one  of  our  large  business  establish- 
ments found  Christ  about  a  fortnight  ago  at  an  even- 
ing in  Rosemary  Street  Church.  Next  day  he 
gathered  some  of  the  men  who  are  employed  in  the 
warehouse  round  him,  and  spoke  to  them  about  the 
meetings.  One  of  them  said  lightly  to  him,  "  What 
sort  of  meeting  had  you  last  night?"  "I  thought  a 
moment,"  he  said,  "  what  reply  to  make,  and  then  I 
answered,  '  That  meeting  has  changed  me  for  life,  at 
any  rate.' "  Less  than  a  week  after  that  man  came 
back  to  tell  him  that  those  words  had  been  ringing  in 
his  ears  ever  since,  and  that  now  he  too  had  become  a 
changed  man  for  life. 

The  blessing  spreads.  In  Bangor  and  Carrickfer- 
gus  very  interesting  meetings  have  been  going  on, 
and,  in  the  former  place  especially,  there  are  many 
anxious  inquirers. 

At  the  noon  meeting  on  October  4th,  Mr.  Moody 
said,  "  When  Mr.  Sankey  and  he  were  about  to  leave 
Edinburgh,  one  thousand  four  hundred  persons  pro- 
fessed  to   have  been  converted  since   their  arrival. 


MEN  CONVERTED.  239 

People  who  did  not  believe  in  the  work,  however, 
asserted — with  wheat  truth  he  did  not  know — that  one 
thousand  one  hundred  of  these  were  women,  obviously 
hinting  that  this  kind  of  thing  could  only  make  prog- 
ress among  females  and  weak-minded  men.  When 
he  and  his  friend  went  to  Glasgow,  therefore,  they 
made  it  a  special  prayer  that  they  might  be  able  to 
refute  this  notion  by  being  honored  in  the  conversion 
of  young  men,  and  this  wish  was  so  far  gratified,  that 
when  they  were  about  to  leave  that  city,  they  held  a 
meeting  of  those  who  believed  that  they  had  been 
brought  to  Christ  since  their  coming  ;  and  out  of  the 
three  thousand  two  hundred  who  attended,  one  thou- 
sand six  hundred  and  thirty  were  men.  Foiled  in 
this  point,  the  enemies  of  the  work  now  found  a  new 
cause  of  fault-finding.  They  could  not  deny  that 
many  men  had  been  blessed,  but  they  affirmed  that 
these  were  not  of  the  class  which  most  needed  to  be 
wrought  among,  the  abandoned  class  of  the  com- 
munity. When  coming  to  Belfast,  therefore,  Mr. 
Moody  prayed  that  he  might  be  specially  owned  in 
doing  good  to  this  class ;  and  his  prayer  had  so  far 
been  answered,  that  on  the  preceding  Sabbath  even- 
ing, at  the  meeting  of  converts  held  in  the  Assembly's 


240  A  HUNDRED  TEARS  OLD. 

Hall,  Ma j  street,  the  first  three  who  rose  to  tell  that 
they  had  become  changed  men  were  men  who  had 
been  drunkards,  one  of  them  acknowledging  that 
he  had  been  twice  drunk  on  the  previous  Sabbath. 
He  had  also  heard  of  another  case  where  a  mother, 
whose  heart  had  been  broken  by  a  son  who  almost 
nightly  was  brought  to  her  door  drunk,  now  had  the 
comfort  of  seeing  him  in  his  right  mind.  Nowhere, 
in  all  Europe,  had  he  met  with  more  encouraging  re- 
sults than  in  Belfast." 

At  the  mid-day  prayer-meeting  on  Friday,  a  young 
man,  well  known  some  time  ago  as  one  of  the  finest 
scholars  in  Queen's  College,  Belfast,  who  carried  off 
with  ease  every  honor  for  which  he  competed,  stood 
up  before  the  crowded  assembly,  and  with  deep  feel- 
ing, said,  "  Many  here  know  how  careless  and  prayer- 
less  I  was,  yet  some  of  my  Christian  friends  never 
gave  me  up,  but  continued  to  pray  for  me.  Blessed 
be  God,  He  has  heard  their  prayers,  and  last  Sabbath, 
having  sent  the  arrow  of  conviction  into  my  soul,  He 
enabled  me  to  rejoice  in  my  Saviour.  It  pleased  our 
God  and  Father  to  enable  me  to  be  much  in  prayer 
since  then ;  and  thanks  be  to  God,  though  it  is  not 
one  shout  week,  it  seems  as  if  I  had  lived  almost  a 


FISHERS  OF  MEN.  241 

hundred  years  of  Christian  life."  Nor  is  this  the 
only  literary  man  of  repute  that  has  come  under  the 
influence  of  the  present  movement  in  Belfast. 

Whatever  attracts  notice  in  Belfast,  especially  in 
religious  matters,  interests  the  entire  province  of  Ul- 
ster. Many  had  heard  of,  many  had  seen  the  work. 
It  was  no  longer  confined  to  Belfast.  In  Bangor, 
Donaghadee,  Carrickfergus,  and  Randalstown  meet- 
ings were  held  nightly,  and  deep  religious  earnestness 
appeared.  The  want  of  a  sufficiently  large  building 
was  felt,  and  a  great  open-air  meeting  to  supply  this 
want  was  held  on  October  8th.  The  Kev.  H.  M. 
Williamson,  successor  to  the  late  venerable  Dr.  Mor- 
gan, writes  of  it,  and  also  of  Mr.  Moody's  last  work  in 
the  town  : 

"  The  joy  of  last  week  has  almost  been  forgotten,  by 
reason  of  the  greatness  of  the  blessing  bestowed  upon 
us  this  week  by  the  God  of  all  grace.  It  has  been  to  us 
as  the  waters  of  the  sanctuary  in  Ezekiel's  vision,  ever 
increasing  in  depth  until  now,  when  the  waters  are  risen, 
1  they  are  waters  to  swim  in.'  It  is  a  most  glorious 
sight  to  witness  the  fishers  standing  upon  it  from  one 
end  of  the  city  to  the  other,  and  the  fish,  according 
to  their  kinds,  exceeding  many  (Ezek.  xlvii.  1-10). 
11 


242  SO  ULS  IN  DISTRESS. 

"  Sabbath  morning  dawned  upon  us  very  wet  and 
windy.  We  had  fears  that  it  would  be  impossible  for 
the  masses  of  the  people  to  meet  in  the  open  air  ;  but 
a  little  while  before  the  hour  of  meeting  the  rain 
ceased,  the  sun  shone  out,  and  the  weather  became 
most  auspicious.  Here  let  me  say  it  has  been  most 
noteworthy  that,  during  the  last  weeks,  while  we  have 
had  most  inclement  weather,  every  Sabbath-day,  and 
at  the  hour  of  our  great  gatherings,  it  has  been  all 
that  could  be  desired.  To-day,  while  I  write  (Octo- 
ber 8th),  the  day  of  our  great  meeting  in  the  Botanic 
Gardens,  the  sun  is  shining  brightly,  and  the  weather 
more  than  we  asked  or  expected.  Doubtless  some 
will  say,  '  A  happy  conjunction  of  circumstances ; ' 
the  children  of  the  heavenly  Father  know  Him  '  who 
hath  gathered  the  wind  in  his  lists.' 

"Mr.  Moody  held  his  usual  meeting  on  Sabbath 
evening  for  those  in  deep  distress  about  salvation,  and 
for  those  who  had  found  eternal  life  during  the  past 
weeks  through  faith  in  Jesus.  The  meeting  was  ex- 
clusively for  men,  and  admission  solely  by  ticket. 
The  hall  in  which  it  was  held  was  completely  filled. 
Mr.  Moody  stated  in  the  noon-day  prayer-meeting  on 
Monday  that,  in  his  judgment,  it  was  the  most  remark- 


PRAISE  TO  GOD.  2±< 


able  meeting  he  has  had  yet  in  Europe.  To  God  be 
all  the  praise !  One  after  another  of  these  young 
men — and  they  comprise  the  very  flower  of  our  youth 
— rose,  and,  with  clearness  and  wonderful  felicity  of 
expression,  in  burning  words,  declared  what  God  had 
done  for  their  souls.  At  length,  at  nine  o'clock,  the 
meeting  was  closed. 

"Meanwhile  another  meeting  of  men  was  assem- 
bling  in  my  church.  It  was  already  very  nearly 
filled  when  we  heard  the  tread  of  a  large  company 
approaching.  It  was  a  phalanx  of  these  redeemed 
youths.  They  sang  the  new  song.  In  a  spontaneous 
burst  of  praise  they  were  telling  forth  the  wonders 
of  redeeming  love.  Xo  language  can  describe  the 
scene.  The  heavenly  echoes  of  that  burst  of  praise, 
I  think,  will  never  be  forgotten  by  any  who  heard  it. 
The  meeting  that  followed,  consisting  of  some  two 
thousand  men,  I  need  not  say,  was  one  of  profound 
interest — Jesus  was  felt  to  be  in  the  midst. 

;'  During  each  day  of  this  week  and  at  every  gath- 
ering, more  and  more  of  the  presence  of  the  God  of 
salvation  has  been  manifested.  Let  me  in  a  sentence 
or  two,  describe  one,  which,  in  sober  language,  was 
most. wonderful.     Mr.  Moody  addressed  on  Monday 


244  ACCEPTING  CHRIST. 

evening  in  Fisherwick  place  Church,  a  meeting  of 
men.  At  the  close  of  his  address,  all  who  had  re- 
cently been  found  by  the  Good  Shepherd,  and  also 
all  who  were  seeking  Him,  were  requested  to  retire  to 
the  adjoining,  lecture-room.  Some  six  hundred  men 
did  so.  Mr.  Moody  again  sifted  them,  by  requesting 
that  those  only  who  were  deeply  anxious  to  be  saved 
should  adjourn  to  anotfler  room.  Probably  nearly 
three  hundred  did  so.  In  breathless  stillness  Mr. 
Moody  addressed  them,  very  briefly  stating  that  he 
could  do  no  more  for  them — that  they  had  heard  the 
gospel,  and  that  it  was  for  themselves  to  decide.  He 
called  upon  them  to  kneel  and  pray  for  themselves. 
They  bowed  as  one  man,  and  now  here  and  there 
might  be  heard  the  short  cry  for  mercy — a  few  earn- 
est words  of  supplication,  probably  about  thirty  or 
forty  so  cried  to  God  one  after  the  other.  Surely  the 
Lord  is  in  this  place  !  was  the  thought  which  rose  in 
holy  fear  in  the  hearts  of  all. 

"  After  a  short  prayer  by  Mr.  Moody,  he  addressed 
them  very  faithfully.  He  again  held  forth  Christ, 
and  invited  all  to  rise  who  felt  that  they  could  there 
and  then  accept  Jesus.  All  of  that  large  company, 
save  twenty  or  thirty,  stood  up,  and  solemnly  avouched 


SWJVEMS'  EXCUSES.  245 

the  Lord  to  be  their  God.  This  wonderful  sight  can- 
not be  described.  The  glory  of  it  cannot  be  realized 
even  by  those  best  acquainted  with  divine  things. 
'Unto  Him  that  loved  us  and  washed  us  from  our 
sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  hath  made  lis  kings  and 
priests  unto  God  and  his  Father,  to  Him  be  glory 
and  dominion  for  ever.     Amen  '  (Rev.  i.  5). 

"  Thursday,  October  8th,  was  the  gathering  of  the 
masses  in  the  open-air.  The  weather  was  splendid  ; 
everything  as  regards  order  and  decorum,  all  that  any 
of  us  could  wish.  It  was  the  largest  open-air  meet- 
ing I  ever  attended.  I  cannot  pretend  to  fix  a  limit 
to  the  numbers.  He  who  counts  the  stars  knew  the 
history  of  each  present,  and  what  were  the  dealings 
of  his  heart  with  Christ  and  the  free  offers  of  his  sal- 
vation. The  only  regret  that  seems  to  be  expressed 
by  any  was,  that  the  services  were  so  short. 

"Mr.  Moody  addressed  the  vast  multitude  from 
the  words,  i  I  pray  thee  have  me  excused.'  With 
graphic  felicity,  great  clearness,  and  soul-piercing 
power,  he  exposed  the  miserable  pretenses  by  which 
Binnera  impose  upon  themselves  in  refusing  a  present 
offer  of  present  blessedness.  The  address  seemed  to 
strike  with  convicting  power  many  consciences,  and, 


246  REV.  DR.  KIRKPATRICK. 

from  many  instances  coming  under  my  own  observa- 
tion, at  the  inquiry-meeting  in  Fisher  wick-place 
Church,  I  have  reason  to  believe  in  salvation  power." 
One  of  the  wisest,  purest,  most  experienced  and 
also  most  cautious  clergymen  in  Ireland  is  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Kirkpatrick,  the  senior  minister  of  Rutland 
Square,  Dublin.  In  a  letter  to  the  Irish  papers,  he 
said  :  "  It  is  understood  that  the  American  evangel- 
ists, Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey,  whose  labors  in 
Scotland  and  in  the  North  of  England  have  been 
followed,  it  is  believed,  by  great  spiritual  benefit  to 
hundreds  and  thousands  of  persons,  are  about  to  visit 
Dublin,  and  that  the  Exhibition  Building  has  been 
engaged  for  their  reception.  In  prospect  of  this 
visit,  it  may  interest  many  of  your  readers  to  be 
furnished  with  some  brief  account  of  the  services 
which  they  have  been  conducting  for  the  last  few 
weeks,  in  the  North  of  Ireland.  Having  had  occa- 
sion to  be  recently  in  Belfast,  I  went  to  attend  one  of 
the  evening  meetings,  at  which  Mr.  Moody  was  to 
give  an  address.  On  reaching  St.  Enoch's,  the  place 
of  meeting,  half  an  hour  before  the  time  of  service, 
I  found  the  gates  locked,  the  house  having  been 
filled  for  near  an  hour  previously.     On  obtaining  ad- 


USE  OF  AFTER-MEETINGS  247 

mission  through  the  gate,  by  special  favor,  I  was  still 
unable  to  enter  the  church,  the  doors  having  been  se- 
cured to  prevent  the  entrance  of  a  crowd  of  people 
who  had  scrambled  over  the  railings.  After  some 
time  I  was  admitted,  and  I  observed  that  every  avail- 
able spot  was  occupied  in  a  church  which  Mr.  Moody 
Bays  is  larger  than  any  church  in  which  he  has  ever 
preached  in  Europe  or  America.  He  had  proceeded 
towards  the  conclusion  of  his  address.  His  words 
were  not  eloquent  in  the  ordinary  acceptation  of  the 
term  ;  they  were  homely,  vigorous,  pungent,  setting 
forth  the  '  old,  old  story  '  of  the  cross,  and  bringing 
it  to  bear  with  directness  of  appeal  and  intense  ear- 
nestness of  manner  on  the  consciences  of  his  hearers. 
The  immense  audience  was  held  in  fixed  attention, 
nor  was  there  the  slightest  appearance  of  levity,  in- 
attention, or  disorder  in  any  part  of  the  house,  that 
came  under  my  observation.  Immediately  after  this 
service  I  attended  a  meeting  of  persons — most  of 
them  young — who  waited  to  converse  with  Mr.  Moody, 
and  with  others  whom  lie  employed  to  assist  him — 
most  of  them  being  ministers — in  giving  instruction 
to  these  inquirers.  The  object  proposed  by  these 
private  conferences  was    to  answer  questions,  to  re- 


248  THE  MINISTRY  HONORED. 

move  difficulties  and  doubts,  to  confirm  purposes  of 
good,  and  to  lead  to  decision  in  the  service  of  Christ. 
These  meetings  are  uniformly  held  after  Mr.  Moody's 
addresses,  and  there  are  often  fifty  or  a  hundred, 
and  sometimes  two  or  even  three  hundred,  who  re- 
main for  these  conferences. 

"  On  the  next  day  I  was  present  at  the  mid-day 
prayer-meeting,  at  which  there  were  from  one  thou- 
sand two  hundred  to  one  thousand  five  hundred  per- 
sons in  attendance  for  an  hour  every  day  in  the  week. 
One  of  the  local  clergy  presided,  and  others  besides 
Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  led  the  assembly  in  prayer. 
These  evangelists  always  recognize  the  ordained  min- 
istry, and  avail  themselves  of  clerical  aid  in  every 
place  which  they  visit.  I  observed  many  of  the 
clergy  mingled  with  the  general  audience. 

"  At  two  o'clock,  an  hour  after  the  close  of  the 
prayer-meeting,  Mr.  Moody  held  what  he  calls  his 
Bible-reading  service.  On  this  occasion  he  read  a 
chapter  of  the  Old  Testament,  illustrating  and  en- 
forcing its  lessons  with  characteristic  energy.  Imme- 
diately at  the  close  of  his  address,  Mr.  Sankey  fol- 
owed  with  an  appropriate  hymn,  which  was  sung 
with  the  most  touching  pathos,  and  was  well  calcu- 


RESULTS  IN  BELFAST.  24:9 

la  ted  to  deepen  the  impression  made  by  the  appeal 
of  Mr.  Moody.  There  are  many  other  special  ser- 
vices held  by  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey,  but  I  con- 
fine my  statement  to  what  I  have  myself  seen. 

"  In  reference  to  this  great  movement,  I  remark  : — 

"  1.  The  amount  of  solid  good  accomplished,  time 
will  tell ;  but  it  is  surely  a  matter  of  vast  moment 
that  multitudes  of  people  should  be  roused  from  their 
ordinary  state  of  spiritual  insensibility  to  inquire 
about  the  interests  of  eternity. 

"  2.  There  are  none  of  those  doubtful  physical  ac- 
companiments which  characterized  the  awakening  of 
1S59.  There  is  no  other  excitement  than  that  which 
is  produced  by  the  truth  of  God,  brought  home  to 
the  hearts  of  a  listening  multitude  of  awakening 
sinners. 

"  3.  The  great  object  of  these  evangelists  seems  to 
be  to  turn  sinners  from  the  error  of  their  ways,  and 
to  bind  in  loving  union  believers  of  every  Christian 
denomination. 

';  4.  The  ministers  of  religion  and  many  of  the 
most  intelligent  and  sober-minded  Christians  recog- 
nize these  men  as  faithful  and  honored  servants  of  the 
-Divine  Master. 


250  LONDONDERRY. 


"  5.  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  go  from  place  to 
place,  expecting  that  God  will  bless  His  own  truth 
proclaimed  by  their  lips,  and  they  desire  and  hope 
that  a  similar  spirit  of  prayerful  expectancy  may 
take  hold  of  the  people  of  Dublin." 

Next  to  Belfast,  Londonderry  is  the  most  impor- 
tant city  in  Ulster.  It  retains  the  old  walls,  which 
its  siege  made  memorable,  and  while  a  large  Roman 
Catholic  population  finds  employment  in  its  manufac- 
tures and  trade,  the  spirit  of  the  place  is  strongly 
Protestant.  The  place  has  long  enjoyed  very  faith- 
ful ministrations  in  its  pulpits.  It  was  visited  in  the 
early  part  of  October. 

With  much  cordiality  the  ministers  of  all  denomi- 
nations joined  in  the  original  invitation  to  Messrs. 
Moody  and  Sankey,  and  also  assisted  in  the  further- 
ance of  the  work.  Presbyterian,  Wesley  an,  and  In- 
dependent seemed  to  have  but  one  object  and  one 
desire — to  make  the  work  of  revival  among  the  peo- 
ple as  general  and  wide-spread  as  possible.  The  First 
Presbyterian  Church  was  selected  for  holding  the 
meetings,  as  it  was  the  largest  and  therefore  best  able 
to  accommodate  the  numbers  likely  to  be  present. 

Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  arrived  in  Derry  from 


AID  IN  SONG.  251 


Belfast  on  Saturday  evening,  and  commenced  their 
labors  on  Sunday  the  11th  Oct.,  with  the  same  spirit 
of  energy  and  enthusiasm  which  carried  them  through 
so  much  in  Belfast.  There  were  in  Mr.  Moody's 
discourses  the  same  fertility  of  illustration  and 
pointed  application,  the  same  earnestness  and  sim- 
plicity, the  same  zeal  and  enthusiasm,  and  the  same 
intense  desire  to  win  souls  for  his  Master.  Three 
services  on  the  Sabbath,  and  the  same  number  on  each 
of  the  following  three  days  of  the  week,  with  inquiry- 
meetings  each  evening,  made  up  his  programme,  and 
he  never  seemed  to  fail  either  in  body  or  mind.  He 
appeared  conscious  of  the  shortness  of  his  visit,  and 
seemed  to  grow  more  earnest  in  consequence. 

While  Mr.  Moody  faithfully  presented  the  gospel 
Mr.  Sankey  was  no  less  faithful  in  his  lessons  in  song. 
He  was  so  admirably  assisted  by  a  local  choir  as  to 
draw  a  special  eulogium  from  Mr.  Moody  at  one  of 
the  noon  meetings.  He  said  he  had  heard  a  great 
many  choirs  assist  at  these  meetings,  but  he  had 
never  yet  heard  one  which  sang  so  sweetly  and  so 
well  as  the  one  which  had  been  organized  to  assist  in 
singing  the  praises  of  God  in  Londonderry.  On  the 
same  occasion  he  referred  to  the  importance  of  the 


252  NEW  SONGS. 


Church  pajang  greater  attention  to  the  subject  of 
praise.  Some  were  only  for  singing  the  psalms, 
but  he  thought  they  should  also  sing  "  new  songs." 
A  new  hymn  was  just  as  good  as  a  sermon.  They 
could  sing  the  gospel  into  many  a  man's  heart.  He 
hoped  the  Church  would  feel  alive  to  its  duty  in  this 
matter  of  praise,  and  not  be  hindered  by  prejudice, 
which  is  the  twin  sister  of  unbelief. 

The  opening  meeting  was  intended  for  Christian 
workers,  and  Mr.  Moody  dwelt  especially  on  the  sub- 
ject of  Christian  work,  and  gave  some  earnest  and 
practical  counsel.  On  the  same  day  two  meetings 
were  held  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  one  at 
four  and  the  other  at  eight  o'clock.  The  ordinary 
congregational  services  were  conducted  in  the  church 
at  twelve  o'clock,  without,  of  course,  any  instru- 
mental accompaniment  in  the  praise.  At  both 
special  services  the  church  was  crowded  to  overflow- 
ing, and  the  gates  had  to  be  closed  half  an  hour  be- 
fore the  commencement  of  the  service.  Indeed,  at 
the  evening-meeting,  the  church  was  filled  at  seven 
o'clock,  the  people  crowding  in  such  numbers  to  the 
service.  Overflow-meetings  were  held  in  the  Wes- 
ley an  Chapel,  and  were  well  attended,  though  better 
in  the  evening  than  in  the  afternoon. 


EXCURSION-TRAINS.  253 

On  Monday,  Tuesday,  and  Wednesday,  three  ser- 
vices were  held  each  day,  including  one  children's  ser- 
vice. Owing  to  the  heavy  downpour  of  rain  on  Monday, 
the  church  was  not  so  well  filled  as  on  the  other  days, 
when  the  congregations  were  very  large ;  but  on  each 
evening  fully  two  thousand  found  accommodation  in 
the  church,  filling  it  from  floor  to  ceiling,  while  the 
hundreds  unable  to  gain  admission  went  to  the  Wes- 
leyan  Chapel,  where  they  were  suitably  addressed. 
The  concluding  meeting  on  Wednesday  evening  was 
especially  large,  and  the  services  particularly  solemn. 
On  each  occasion  the  meeting  was  conducted  after 
the  style  of  the  meetings  in  Belfast, — already  fa- 
miliar to  our  readers. 

The  audiences  were  thoroughly  representative. 
Young  and  old  of  all  classes,  not  only  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Derry,  but  of  the  surrounding  districts,  for 
miles  around,  attended.  Excursion-trains  on  the 
Irish  North-western  Railway  and  Northern  Counties 
Railway  brought  many  into  the  town,  while  hundreds 
walked  and  drove  many  miles,  in  order  to  be  present 
at  the  meetings.  The  attendances  steadily  increased 
to  the  close,  and  as  the  last  of  the  services  approached, 
there  seemed  to  be  a  general  expression  of  regret. 


254  SAPPERS  AND  MINERS. 

A  noticeable  feature  of  the  meetings  was  the  large 
number  of  clergymen  present  at  them. 

The  prevailing  characteristic  of  all  the  meetings 
was  intense  solemnity,  but  without  any  undue  excite- 
ment. The  services  seemed  to  awaken  the  liveliest 
interest  in  the  public  mind,  and  to  produce  a  marked 
impression.  The  inquiry-meetings  after  the  first 
night  were  well  attended,  large  numbers  of  both 
sexes  remaining  for  conversation  and  prayer  with  Mr. 
Moody  and  the  Christian  workers  who  were  admitted 
(by  ticket)  to  converse  with  the  anxious.  In  this  re- 
spect every  precaution  was  taken  that  none  but  duly 
qualified  persons  should  be  admitted.  The  time  oc- 
cupied at  these  meetings  was  brief,  but  the  addresses 
and  conversations  earnest  and  impressive.  The  upper 
room  was  set  apart  for  female  inquirers,  and  the 
lower  schoolroom  for  males. 

The  Rev.  A.  C.  Murphy,  one  of  the  ministers  of 
Londonderry,  gives  his  impressions  of  the  men  and 
their  aptitudes  in  such  a  way  as  indicates  that  min- 
isters have  something  to  learn  from  them. 

"Better  sappers  and  miners  of  spiritual  indiffer- 
ence, and  the  infidelity  that  is  born  of  sinful  living, 
could  not  be  found.     In  addition  to  his  astonishing 


\ 


THE  TWO  BOOKS.  255 

vigor  and  versatility  of  thought,  and  his  keen  sympa- 
thy with  all  the  familiar  movements  of  the  human 
heart,  the  speaker's  organizing  faculty  and  instructive 
wisdom  give  him  an  all  but  absolute  sway  over  large 
assemblies ;  while  the  '  sweet  singer '  who  accompa- 
nies him  always  manages  to  hit  the  mood  of  the  mo- 
ment by  some  appropriate  cadence  of  joy  or  tender- 
ness. The  audience  are  never  allowed  to  weary,  and 
wish  one  part  of  the  service  ended  before  the  next 
part  has  begun.  Even  the  least  affected  go  away 
rather  regretting  than  relieved  that  the  exercises  are 
over.  It  would  do  a  world  of  good  if  those  who  are 
in  the  habit  of  conducting  public  prayers  would  learn 
from  Mr.  Moody  the  triple  virtue  of  brevity,  of  point, 
and  of  confining  themselves  more  or  less  closely  to 
the  matter  in  hand.  Ministers,  as  a  rule,  have  little 
idea  what  damage  is  done  by  long,  vague,  expository 
prayers.  The  Bible  lecture,  again,  is,  in  its  way,  an 
excellent  mode  of  instruction,  substituting  as  it  does 
for  the  logical  treatment  of  a  subject  the  more  popu- 
lar treatment  by  association  of  ideas.  It  is,  besides, 
peculiarly  appropriate  in  Mr.  Moody's  mouth,  as  his 
two  principal  studies  are  the  word  of  God  and  the 
book  of  the  human  heart." 


256  THE  ANXIO  US  ONL  7". 

After  this  four  days'  visit  to  Londonderry,  the 
evangelists  returned  to  Belfast.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Park 
thus  describes  two  further  meetings : 

"  Admission  was  to  be  by  ticket,  and  for  four  days 
we  were  busily  engaged  giving  out  these  tickets. 
Great  care  was  exercised  that  none  but  anxious  in- 
quirers should  receive  them  for  the  one  evening,  and 
none  but  those  who  made  a  credible  profession  of 
having  been  brought  to  Christ  during  the  past  few 
weeks  for  the  other.  The  name  and  address  of  the 
applicants  were  taken  down,  and  the  name  of  the  con- 
gregation with  which  they  professed  to  be  connected, 
so  that  every  minister  may  obtain  a  correct  list  of  his 
own  people  who  have  been  moved  and  blessed.  As 
far  as  we  can  judge,  we  gave  out  somewhere  about 
two  thousand  two  hundred  tickets  for  the  first  meet- 
ing, and  about  two  thousand  for  the  second.  That  is 
to  say,  more  than  four  thousand  persons  profess  to 
have  been  brought  under  serious  concern  about  salva- 
tion, or  to  have  accepted  Christ,  during  the  past  few 
weeks.  We  cannot  pronounce  on  all,  or  indeed  on 
any  of  these  cases ;  we  must  wait  to  see  the  fruit  of 
the  new  birth  in  the  life  and  conduct.  But  the  mere 
fact  that  such  a  vast  number  have  professed  to  be 


ILLUMINATING  TEXTS.  257 

anxious  or  to  be  converted  shows  how  wide-spread  and 
mighty  this  movement  must  have  been. 

"  Among  those  who  came  to  get  tickets,  there  were 
many  cases  of  the  deepest  interest.  One  man  had 
attended  some  of  the  services  at  the  beginning.  He 
had  then  fallen  ill  of  fever,  and  as  he  lay  in  the  hos- 
pital, he  thought  over  what  he  had  heard,  and  came 
out  of  it,  he  believed,  a  new  man.  By  far  the  great- 
est number  who  told  us  about  themselves  were  able 
to  point  to  some  text  or  texts  of  Scripture  which  had 
been  to  their  souls  a  window  through  which  they  saw 
the  truth.  John  iii.  16  and  John  vi.  37,  seem  to  have 
been  useful  to  hundreds ;  John  i.  12  and  1  John  i.  7, 
were  very  precious  to  many:  John  iii.  14  and  15  had 
enabled  others  to  see  the  simplicity  of  the  way  of  sal- 
vation. Matt.  xi.  28  and  John  xiv.  1  seem  to  be  not 
only  full  of  comfort  for  Christians,  but  full  of  guid- 
ance and  comfort  also  for  the  anxious  and  inquiring. 
Isa.  liii.  was  often  quoted  as  the  passage  on  which 
the  soul  was  resting,  and  sometimes  1  Pet.  ii.  24.  Rev. 
iii.  20  was  mentioned  by  others  who  had  opened  the 
door  to  the  Saviour  who  knocked  so  long.  It  is  well 
that  those  who  have  to  instruct  inquirers  should  know 
these  passages,  which  have  been  useful  to  so  many. 


258  A  SOUL  WAITED  FOB. 

"How  can  I  describe  these  two  great  meetings? 
On  Thursday  night '(  After  those  who  had  inquirers' 
tickets  and  those  who  had  workers'  tickets  were  ad- 
mitted, five  or  six  hundred  of  the  general  public 
were  accommodated  in  the  galleries.  Amid  breath- 
less silence,  Mr.  Moody  preached  to  an  audience  of 
nearly  three  thousand  persons,  taking  up  text  after 
text,  trying  to  make  the  way  of  salvation  plain  and 
easy,  and  pressing  home  the  truth  upon  every  heart. 
Earnestly  did  he  urge  the  duty  of  immediate  de- 
cision. When  he  had  finished,  Mr.  Sankey  sang 
1  The  farewell  hymn,'  and  the  assembly  was  at  once 
dismissed,  to  go  home,  and  think,  and  pray.  Great 
numbers  were  in  tears.  Many  were  unwilling  to 
leave  the  church.  At  length  all  seemed  to  have  gone 
away,  and  the  lights  were  put  out,  when  the  minister 
of  the  church  (Mr.  Hanna),  passing  down  the  aisle, 
thought  he  saw  dimly  some  figures  in  a  pew.  He 
found  two  women  waiting  with  a  companion,  who 
was  in  deep  anxiety  about  her  soul.  He  took  them 
into  the  vestry;  he  talked  to  her  and  prayed  with  her. 
He  asked  her  companions  to  pray  for  her  also,  which 
they  did ;  and  before  she  left  the  room  the  darkness 
had  passed,  and  the  brightness  of  pardon  and  peace 
was  shining  in  her  face." 


DUEL  IX.  259 


From  Belfast,  the  brethren  proceeded  to  Dublin. 
It  was  a  hopeful  sign  that  a  well-attended  noon  prayer- 
meeting  was  in  operation,  that  a  great  body  of  the 
ministers  had  agreed  together  as  to  the  mode  of  opera- 
tions. At  a  prayer-meeting  during  the  week  before 
the  arrival  of  the  evangelists,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Marrable, 
Rector  of  St.  Andrews,  read  the  opening  of  Ezekiel 
xxxvii.,  which,  by  a  happy  coincidence,  formed  part  of 
the  Scripture  for  reading  in  the  Episcopal  service,  on 
the  Sabbath  when  the  evangelists  were  to  commence. 
The  preparations  had  been  very  thorough. 

A  central  building,  called  the  Metropolitan  Hall, 
was  secured  on  the  north  side  of  the  city  for  the  daily 
noon  prayer-meeting.  It  has  capacity  to  seat  almost 
two  thousand  people.  On  the  sonth  side  £500  had  been 
paid  for  a  month's  occupancy  of  the  Exhibition  Palace, 
also  central,  where  were  held  the  daily  evening  meet- 
ing, and  the  afternoon  service  on  the  Lord's  day. 
This  is  a  huge  glass  building,  capable  of  seating  in  its 
center  aisle  and  transept  about  twelve  thousand  per- 
s,  and  affording  numerous  rooms  for  after  and  in- 
quiry meetings.  Part  of  it  had  been  screened  off,  suf- 
ficient to  accommodate  five  or  six  thousand  people, 
and  seats  had  been  made  for  four  thousand,  to  be 
added  to  as  the  demand  for  accommodation  increased. 


260  TEE  EXHIBITION  PAL  A  CE. 


There  was  a  thorough  working  committee,  com- 
posed of  ministers  and  laymen  of  all  the  evangelical 
churches,  and  the  unity  prevailing  was  an  excellent 
beginning  and  foretaste  of  the  blessing  we  expect. 

We  infer  from  the  reports  that  concerning  no 
town  yet  visited  had  there  been  such  deep  anxiety. 
It  was  the  first  where  the  Protestants  are  few 
and  the  Roman  Catholics  many ;  it  is  the  capital 
of  the  country,  and  especially  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
population  of  the  country. 

"For  the  first  time,"  says  the  Rev.  James  S. 
Fletcher,  Incumbent  of  St.  Barnabas,  Dublin,  "  and 
in  connection  with  this  movement,  have  we  seen  the 
clergy  of  all  the  evangelical  churches  working  cor- 
dially together,  without  the  least  shade  of  envy  or 
party  spirit — all  feeling  that  they  are  workers  in  the 
same  holy  cause,  children  of  the  same  Father,  servants 
of  the  same  gracious  Master. 

"  On  Sunday  last  the  Christians  of  Dublin  wit- 
nessed a  sight  to  gladden  their  hearts.  It  has  been 
estimated  that  at  the  first  service  at  4  o'clock  from 
twelve  to  fifteen  thousand  persons  were  in  the 
palace.  Never  before  was  it  put  to  so  blessed  a  use. 
I  am  persuaded  that  in  future  years  many  a  dear  child 


THE  REV.  HAMILTON  MAGEE.  261 

of  God  will  remember  it  with  deepest  gratitude,  and 
will  say,  '  I  was  born  there.' 

"  The  weather  being  beautifully  fine,  the  attend- 
ance increased  each  succeeding  evening.  On  Monday 
evening,  and  again  on  Tuesday  evening,  Mr.  Moody 
spoke  of  Jesus  coming  '  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost,'  interspersing  his  discourse  with  many 
forcible  illustrations.  The  following  evening  his  sub- 
ject was  the  powerlessness  of  the  Law  to  save,  and 
then  he  set  forth  Jesus  as  the  only  and  all-sufficient 
Saviour.  Thursday  and  Friday  evenings  were  de- 
voted to  showing  the  necessity  of  Spiritual  Eegenera- 
tion.  On  all  these  occasions  the  Lord  Jesus  was 
lifted  up,  and  every  eye  and  every  heart  directed  to 
Him.  Will  He  not  fulfill  His  gracious  promise — 'I, 
if  I  be  lifted  up,  will  draw  all  men  unto  Me  ? '  Blessed 
be  His  name,  already  we  can  tell  of  many  having  been 
so  drawn." 

The  Rev.  Hamilton  Magee  writes : 

"  The  noon-day  prayer-meeting  in  the  Metropolitan 
Hall  continues  to  grow  in  numbers,  interest,  and 
power.  At  the  meeting  to-day  Mr.  Moody  presided ; 
and  the  hall,  which  accommodates  more  than  two 
thousand  three  hundred  persons,  was  filled  in  every 


262  THE  UNIVERSAL  DISEASE. 

part.  The  eagerness  of  the  people  to  be  present  is 
something  wonderful,  and  there  are  abundant  and 
increasing  tokens  of  the  presence  of  the  ever-blessed 
Spirit  of  God. 

"  Mr.  Moody  seems  jealous  lest  the  attention  of  the 
people  should  be  directed  too  much  to  him.  He  is 
ever  pointing  them  to  God  himself  as  the  Author  of 
blessing  and  Source  of  power.  Indeed,  it  is  this 
losing  sight  of  himself  in  God  which  seems  to  me  to 
constitute  one  of  the  great  secrets  of  his  success. 

"  In  all  our  meetings  hitherto,  little  or  no  reference 
has  been  made,  by  name,  either  to  Protestants  or  to 
Roman  Catholics.  This  is,  in  the  judgment  of  most 
of  us,  as  it  should  be.  Mr.  Moody  is  exceedingly 
careful  in  this  matter  not  to  give  needless  offense,  or 
provoke  opposition  that  might  be  avoided.  He  ad- 
dresses sinners  as  such — telling  them  the  very  same 
i  old,  old  story '  of  redeeming  love,  or,  as  a  good  man 
known  to  us  has  put  it,  he  deals  with  the  catholic  or 
universal  disease  of  sin,  and  the  catholic  remedy  pro- 
vided in  the  gospel.  The  disease  has  affected  us  all 
equally;  the  remedy  is  provided  for  and  offered  to  us 
all  equally.  There  is  here  no  distinction  of  persons. 
His  method  in  this  matter  constitutes  one  great  secret 


REV.  J.   G.  PHILLIPS.  263 

of  Mr.  Moody's  peculiar  adaptation  for  evangelistic 
work  among  the  mixed  audiences  that  gather  around 
him  in  a  city  like  ours." 

In  Times  of  Blessing,  ISfovember  12,  1874,  the 
Rev.  J.  G.  Phillips  writes: 

u  To  a  stranger  attending  one  of  the  services  of 
these  American  evangelists,  it  would  seem  as  if  they 
were  addressing  a  Dublin  audience  for  the  first  time, 
the  crowds  are  so  great  and  the  interest  evinced  is  so 
intense.  Day  after  day  every  meeting  is  crowded. 
Xeither  time,  distance,  nor  weather,  appears  to  have 
much  effect  in  diminishing  the  number  of  those  who 
attend.  On  Monday  morning,  the  2d  inst,  as  the 
rain  was  coming  down  very  heavily  at  the  hour  for 
the  noon  gathering,  and  had  been  doing  so  for  some 
time  previously,  I  thought  there  would  be  but  a  very 
small  attendance  at  the  prayer-meeting;  but  when  I 
got  there  I  was  agreeably  disappointed  to  find  that 
the  audience  was  not  much  smaller  than  usual.  And 
last  night,  Friday,  the  attendance  at  the  Exhibition 
Hall  was  larger  than  I  have  seen  it  on  any  week- 
night  since  these  meetings  began.  And  not  only  is 
the  work  growing  broader,  but  I  believe  it  is  also 
growing   deeper ;    it   is   becoming  a  more   personal 


26<±  SOUTH  AND  WEST. 

thing  with  many.  It  is  not  simply  what  Messrs. 
Moody  and  Sankey  have  to  say ;  bnt  it  is,  What  have 
Christ  and  Christianity  to  do  with  me?  To  many 
hearts  this  question  is  now  brought  home,  and  many, 
very  many,  with  deep  earnestness  are  asking:  '  What 
must  I  do  to  be  saved  ? ' 

"  The  inquirers'  meeting,  which  I  have  already 
mentioned,  held  in  the  Metropolitan  Hall  at  half-past 
8  o'clock,  was  a  most  interesting  one.  A  large  num- 
ber was  present,  and  many  went  away  rejoicing  in 
Christ. 

"  The  meetings  of  Sabbath  were  an  index  to  those 
of  the  whole  week;  for,  from  the  prayer-meeting  at 
noon  on  Monday,  to  the  children's  service  in  the 
Exhibition  Palace  at  noon  to-day,  Saturday,  all  the 
meetings  were  most  interesting,  solemnizing,  and  edi- 
fying, and  were  all  very  largely  attended.  The  in- 
terest attaching  to  these  meetings  is  not  confined  to 
the  people  of  Dublin  and  its  immediate  neighborhood. 
Persons  are  coming  from  some  of  the  most  southern 
and  western  counties  of  our  island  to  be  present  at 
these  services.  I  myself  was  speaking  at  one  of  them 
to  a  man  who  had  brought  his  son,  a  boy  about  four- 
teen years  of  age,  a  distance  of  one  hundred  miles  for 


EEV.    W.  FLEMING  STEVEXSOX.  -;05 

this  sole  purpose.  And  when  these  persons  go  back, 
in  many  cases  they  go  not  unblessed,  but  carry 
gracious  sheaves  with  them,  and  thus  their  own 
neighborhood  comes  in  for  a  share  of  the  blessing 
which  is  now  falling  so  richly  on  Dublin." 

The  Rev.  W.  Fleming  Stevenson,  author  of  Pray- 
ing and  Working,  and  minister  of  a  large  Presbyterian 
church  in  Dublin,  gives  his  general  impressions  after 
three  weeks'  observation  and  hearty  co-operation  : 

"  A  third  week  has  in  no  way  diminished  the  at- 
tendance. Instead  of  lesser  numbers,  additional  seats 
for  nearly  a  thousand  have  been  provided  in  the  Ex- 
hibition Palace,  and  even  the  passages  in  the  Metro- 
politan Hall  are  now  thronged.  Once  or  twice  the 
quietness  prevailing  has  been  slightly  broken  ;  but  it 
is  marvelous  that  when  so  many  must  stand,  and  even 
then  perhaps  not  hear,  the  stillness  is  so  deep.  There 
are  some  who  do  not  miss  a  meeting  ;  but  the  even- 
ing audience  is  a  very  shifting  one,  and  the  faces  are 
always  changing.  The  number  who  have  heard  the 
gospel  at  this  time  must  therefore  be  enormous.  In- 
deed, there  are  scarcely  any  that  one  meets  who  either 
have  not  been  at  the  meetings,  or  who  are  not  plan- 
ning to  go.  In  tram-cars,  omnibuses,  railway  carriages, 
12 


266  ROMAN  CATHOLICS. 

the  services  are  a  subject  of  universal  conversation, 
and  of  universal  interest.  The  visitors  from  the 
country,  are  always  on  the  increase.  The  other  day 
some  people  in  a  small  southern  country  town  organ- 
ized an  excursion-party  of  thirty,  and  a  second  of  sixty 
has  been  organized  since  in  the  same  place.  Chris- 
tians come  two  hundred  miles  to  rejoice  and  help  in 
what  is  done.  A  gentleman  came  seventy  miles, 
found  the  Saviour,  went  back  for  his  family,  and  now 
they  are  all  here. 

"  Some  of  the  abandoned  have  stolen  in,  and  many 
drunkards  have  been  brought  by  their  friends.  The 
motley  character  of  the  evening  crowd  is  striking: 
every  section  of  the  population  is  represented,  even  to 
the  outcast ;  and  surprises  are  constantly  felt  as  one 
and  another  are  recognized  of  the  most  unlikely  to  be 
there.  Two  Roman  Catholic  servants  noticed,  not  far 
from  them,  faces  with  which  they  were  curiously 
familiar.  The  men  were  disguised,  but  it  did  not  need 
much  penetration  to  discover  the  two  priests  who  con- 
fessed them.  The  other  night  a  Roman  Catholic 
clergjmien,  hymn-book  in  hand,  was  among  the  most 
earnest  of  the  worshipers.  Another,  who  was  asked 
by  one  of  his  people  if  it  was  wrong  to  go,  is  said  to 


A  DEEPER  WORK.  261 

Lave  replied  that  there  could  be  no  harm  in  hearing 
about  Jesus.  The  reporter  of  a  paper  unfriendly  to 
the  movement  is  among  those  whom  that  movement 
has  carried  toward  Christ.  There  is  not  an  evening 
that  Roman  Catholics  as  well  as  Protestants  have  not 
found  their  way  to  the  inquiry-room.  Probably  one 
reason  is  that  there  is  no  denunciation.  Men  are  not 
addressed  as  by  their  particular  Church,  but  as  sinners. 
Roman  Catholics  are  not  even  mentioned  by  name  at 
the  evangelistic  service ;  and  feeling  no  hurt,  and  not 
having  opposition  forced  upon  them,  those  who  go 
once  are  pretty  sure  to  return.''  Having  regard  to 
the  character  of  the  impressions  produced  on  the  mul- 
titudes addressed,  Mr.  Stevenson  further  says: 

"  The  lack  of  depth  that  was  noticeable  at  first,  the 
absence  of  any  great  breaking  down  of  men's  hearts, 
seem  to  be  now  signs  of  the  past.  It  is,  at  last,  as  if 
God's  word  had  got  a  grip  of  those  that  came  to  hear. 
Those  who  remain  are  more  deeply  concerned,  more 
willing  to  speak  because  more  sensible  of  their  burden; 
and  their  number  is  rising  rapidly.  The  area  of  the 
large  concert  hall  is  now  occupied  with  the  anxious  and 
those  who  deal  with  them,  and  additional  meetings 
have  been  held  for  them  in  the  Metropolitan  Hall. 


26 S  AT  THE  ELE VENTH  HO UR. 

There  is  not  a  day  but  some  evidently  pass  from  death 
unto  life,  and  the  crushed  and  miserable  depart  to  their 
own  house  in  the  joy  and  peace  of  believing.  An 
officer  of  rank  in  the  artillery  was  in  Scotland  during 
Mr.  Moody's  visit,  but  did  not  attend  the  meetings. 
He  has  come  in  Dublin  ;  there  was  earnest  prayer  for 
him  by  his  friends  ;  and  from  a  very  worldly  life  he 
has  now  been  brought  to  Jesus.  An  open  skeptic 
was  constrained  to  remain,  had  his  doubts  swept 
away  as  the  Lord  Jesus  drew  him  to  His  feet,  and  on 
another  evening  came  bringing  three  more  persons 
with  him.  Thanks  were  returned  one  day  for  a  young 
minister  who  had  found  Christ.  A  young  man  had 
been  three  months  seeking  rest.  Hearing  at  a  meet- 
ing that  the  gospel  is  the  gift  of  Christ  to  sinners, 
it  struck  him  with  so  much  force  that  he  said  quite 
out,  '  That's  beautiful.'  He  apologized  afterwards, 
saying  he  could  not  help  it  just  at  the  moment  when 
he  found  what  he  had  almost  despaired  of  finding. 
An  ungodly  man,  whose  friends  and  companions  were 
like  himself,  came  to  one  of  the  meetings.  It  was 
the  only  one,  for  a  few  days  after  he  died,  joyfully 
confessing  to  his  ungodly  acquaintances  that  Christ 
had  found  and  saved  him  at  that  meeting." 


THE  HYMNS.  269 


Mr.  Stevenson  singles  out  some  special  features  of 
the  work  as  specially  noteworthy  : 

"  Here,  as  elsewhere,  several  of  the  hymns  sung  by 
Mr.  Sankey  alone  have  been  wonderfully  blest.  An 
old  man  of  seventy  came  into  the  inquiry-room  in 
tears,  saying  he  had  found  no  rest  since  he  heard 
( Jesus  of  Nazareth  Passeth  by.'  A  cabman,  the 
other  evening,  asked  that  prayer  should  be  offered 
for  himself  and  his  comrades.  He  had  heard  the  "first 
sermon  in  the  palace,  and  the  same  hymn  had  made 
him  uneasy  then,  and  he  had  been  uneasy  ever  since. 

In  a  country  where  party-feeling  has  always  been" 
strong,  one  notices  wTith  pleasure  the  following  : 

"The  brotherly  unity  among  the  ministers  is  main- 
tained unbroken,  and  a  delightful  illustration  of  the 
breadth  of  this  unity  among  all  classes  was  given  at  a 
public  breakfast  this  week.  Nearly  two  hundred  ac- 
cepted the  invitation  to  meet  Mr.  Moody  and  Mr. 
Sankey,  and  among  them  were  over  fifty  clergymen, 
some  well-known  noblemen  and  military  men,  and 
many  of  the  principal  citizens  of  Dublin  of  all  profes- 
sions. Two  hours  after  breakfast  passed  only  too 
quickly  in  brief  addresses  from  representatives  of 
almost  every  denomination,  bearing  a  united  testi- 


270  THE  SPREADING  MOVEMENT. 

mony  to  the  singular  good  that  has  been  done,  and 
expressing  a  united  resolve  to  carry  on  the  work  after 
the  American  brethren  have  left  in  the  same  harmony 
in  which  it  was  now  begun. 

The  inquiry  was  very  naturally  raised,  "What  results 
have  followed  elsewhere  ?     Here  is  the  answer  : 

"  Although  the  movement  was  to  gather  no  greater 
force,  it  would  still  be  the  most  remarkable  that  there 
has  ever  been  in  the  city ;  but  there  are  many  who 
believe  that  we  see  only  the  beginning,  that  probably 
even  next  week  will  witness  far  greater  things  than 
these,  and  that  spiritual  blessings  will  be  showered 
down  on  our  land.  The  last  tidings  from  Ulster  speak 
of  just  such  a  fullness  of  blessing  there.  It  is  not  con- 
fined to  one  or  two  cities,  but  the  news  comes  from 
country  towns  and  hamlets,  and  lonely  prayer-meet- 
ings. The  presbyteries  over  the  north  are  stirring, 
and  arranging  for  special  evangelistic  work,  for  the 
people  are  everywhere  moved.  The  joy  that  is  thus 
quickened  prompts  to  but  one  request  for  our  Irish 
churches  and  our  Irish  people,  that  prayer  be  made 
without  ceasing  unto  God  for  us." 

Mr.  Magee  gives  some  illustrations  of  the  force  of 
truth: 


FAIR  PLAY!"  271 


"  Our  Roman  Catholic  brethren,  as  a  rule,  have 
acted  a  noble  part.  They  have  been  respectful,  and 
to  a  certain  extent,  sympathizing.  In  this  week's 
number  of  t\\Q  Nation — an  organ  at  once  of  National 
(as  it  is  called)  and  Ultramontane  principles — an 
article  has  appeared,  entitled,  ( Fair  Play ! '  which  is 
exceedingly  creditable,  and  which  indicates  the  ad- 
vent of  a  new  day  in  Ireland.  The  editor  informs  his 
constituents  that '  the  deadly  danger  of  the  age  comes 
upon  us  from  the  direction  of  Huxley  and  Darwin 
and  Tyndall,  rather  than  from  Moody  and  Sankey. 
Irish  Catholics  desire  to  see  Protestants  deeply  im- 
bued with  religious  feeling,  rather  than  tinged  with 
rationalism  and  infidelity ;  and  as  long  as  the  relig- 
ious services  of  our  Protestant  neighbors  are  honestly 
directed  to  quickening  religious  thought  in  their  own 
body,  without  offering  aggressive  or  intentional  insult 
to  us,  it  is  our  duty  to  pay  the  homage  of  our  respect 
to  their  conscientious  convictions ;  in  a  word,  to  do  as 
we  would  be  done  by.7 

"  One  very  marked  feature  in  the  movement  is  the 
number  of  men  that  are  influenced.  Many  people 
have  remarked  the  large  proportion  of  them  that  are 
inquiring. 


272  THORO  UGHL  Y  BIBLICAL. 

"  A  few  nights  ago  an  old  gentleman,  more  than 
seventy  years  of  age,  threw  himself  down  on  his 
knees  and  sobbed  like  a  child.  He  said,  'I  was 
utterly  careless  about  my  soul  till  last  night,  but  I 
have  been  so  unhappy  since,  I  could  not  sleep.  I 
seemed  to  hear  ringing  in  my  ears,  "  Jesus  of  Nazar- 
eth is  Passing  by,"  and  if  I  don't  get  saved  now  I 
never  shall  be.'  • 

"  Already  the  influence  of  this  work  has  begun  to 
tell  upon  the  most  remote  districts  of  the  country. 
Parties  of  thirty,  fifty,  sixty,  etc.,  are  being  organized 
from  the  most  distant  parts  to  Dublin.  Many  of 
these  carry  back  with  them  much  blessing.  We  hear 
of  the  young  converts  witnessing  for  Christ  fearlessly 
in  the  trains  on  their  way  home  from  their  meetings. 

"Mr.  Dowling,  an  Episcopal  clergyman,  one  of  the 
best  expositors  of  Scripture  we  have  among  us,  said 
he  had  heard  and  read  much  of  the  work  carried  on 
by  our  brethren,  when  they  were  in  Edinburgh  and 
elsewhere,  and  he  had  thought  much  of  it;  now 
that  he  had  seen  it  for  himself  he  thought  much 
more  of  it  than  ever.  He  regarded  it  as  the  noblest 
testimony  to  the  power  of  evangelical  truth  ever 
given  in  this  country.     He  was  delighted,  he  said, 


A  P  UBLIC  BREA  KFA  ST.  273 

with  the  thoroughly  Biblical  character  of  the  move- 
ment. It  put  honor  upon  the  Personal  'Word,  and 
honor  upon  the  "Written  Word,  and  honor  upon  the 
Holy  Spirit,  the  great  mediating  Energy  between  the 
Personal  and  the  "Written  "Word.  Speaking  of  Mr. 
Moody's  preaching,  he  said  that  the  Bible  seemed  a 
quiver  in  his  hands,  and  every  text  a  sharp,  polished, 
glittering  arrow  that  God  gave  him  for  us  to  shoot 
straight  into  the  heart  and  conscience  of  his  hearers." 
A  novel  feature  in  Dublin  was  the  public  breakfast 
in  the  Shelbourne  Hotel,  with  Sir  E.  Synge  Hutchin- 
son in  the  chair,  addresses  in  admirable  spirit  from 
Lord  Carrick,  Lord  James  Butler,  Dr.  Craig,  Rev. 
Charles  Dowling,  of  the  Irish  Church,  aud  many 
other  clergymen.  Two  of  the  largest  rooms  in  the 
Shelbourne  Hotel  were  completely  tilled  by  the  com- 
pany, which  numbered  about  two  hundred.  The  object 
the  gathering  evidently  had  in  view  was  the  en- 
couragement of  Christian  unity,  which  every  speaker 
in  the  course  of  the  proceedings  warmly  advocated, 
in  the  belief  that  it  is  especially  needful  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  and  essential  to  the  further  spread  of  the 
gospel  in  this  country.  The  company  was  thoroughly 
representative  in  its  character,  both  clerical  and  lay. 
12* 


274  CONCERT  WITH  MINISTERS. 

Mr.  Moody  said  that  was  the  first  meeting  of  the 
kind  he  had  ever  attended.  The  question  had  been 
asked,  "  What  was  to  be  done  to  keep  up  Christian 
unity  ? "  He  would  tell  them.  Keep  preaching 
Christ,  and  don't  talk  about  their  church,  creed,  or 
doctrine,  and  then  people  would  be  attracted  to  them 
as  surely  as  iron  filings  to  a  magnet.  By  this  should 
all  men  know  that  they  were  Christ's  disciples,  that 
they  loved  one  another.  He  hoped  they  would 
preach  Christ  simply,  treating  men  not  as  of  this  de- 
nomination or  that,  but  as  sinners.  He  would  leave 
them  one  word,  i  Advance.'  When  General  Grant, 
after  a  career  of  victory  in  the  West,  was  put  in 
command  of  the  Potomac  Army,  which  had  been  be- 
fore invariably  defeated,  he  was  asked  to  retreat. 
Retreat  had  been  the  constant  word,  and  at  his  coun- 
cil of  war  all  his  commanders  were  in  favor  of  falling 
back ;  but  he  remained  silent,  and  an  hour  after, 
the  army  were  astonished  to  receive  from  him 
the  command,  '  Advance  in  solid  column  at  day- 
break.'    This  was  his  counsel  to  them." 

One  of  the  aspects  of  Mr.  Moody's  work,  which 
gave  special  satisfaction  to  the  most  judicious  Chris- 
tians in  Dublin — and  among  its  fifty  or  sixty  thou- 


REV.  DR.  MARRABLE. 


275 


Band  Protestants,  are  many  most  earnest  and  devout 
believers — was  the  concert  maintained  with  the  min- 
isters.    The  effects  were  of  the  happiest  kind. 

Rev.  Dr.  Marrable  mentioned  that  "on  their  Com- 
munion Day  the  number  of  those  who  remained  to 
partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  nearly  double  what 
it  used  to  be.  This  was  a  good  sign  and  a  source  of 
much  happiness  to  him.  He  felt  deeply  interested 
in  these  meetings,  and  especially  the  conversational 
meetings  for  anxious  inquirers.  So  eager  was  he  to 
get  into  the  room  that  no  sooner  was  the  preaching 
service  at  the  Exhibition  Palace  concluded  with  the 
benediction,  than  he  hastened  to  the  inquiry-room 
with  the  avidity  of  an  army  surgeon  who  ran  to  bind 
up  the  wounds  of  soldiers  after  a  battle.  The  work 
of  grace  that  was  manifested  at  these  meetings  was 
truly  wonderful.  Some  of  those  who  became  con- 
verted belonged  to  Dublin,  some  came  from  distant 
parts  of  the  country — people  of  all  classes — young 
and  old,  high  and  low — are  finding  the  Lord,  and  re- 
joicing in  Him  as  their  precious  Saviour.  On  the 
previous  night  (Sunday)  they  had  a  conversational 
meeting  for  men — none  but  men — and  there  were 
upwards  of  fifteen  hundred  present.     The  attendance 


276  RESULTS    IN  DUBLIN. 

was  astonishing.  He  was  diffident  about  alluding  to 
particular  cases ;  but  lie  could  not  help  referring  to 
the  case  of  a  divinity  student— he  was  sure  that  was 
not  too  personal — who  came  to  him  and  said  he  was 
about  to  enter  the  ministry,  but  he  did  not  feel  happy" 
about  his  own  soul ;  but  before  he  left  he  was  brought 
to  rest  in  peace  in  Jesus." 

Fourteen  years  ago  the  Kev.  Denham  Smith,  then 
a  Congregational  minister,  did  a  good  Evangelistic 
work  in  Dublin.  He  was,  like  Mr.  Brownlow  North 
in  Scotland,  and  Mr.  Grattan  Guinness  in  England — 
able  to  give  some  aid  in  the  meetings— pleasing  evidence 
that  the  fire  kindled  so  long  ago  had  not  ceased  to  burn. 

After  witnessing  five  weeks'  labor  in  Dublin  the 
Rev.  W.  Fleming  Stevenson  gives  the  following  ac- 
count of  the  results : 

"  No  one  would  question  now  the  magnitude  and 
importance  of  the  spiritual  work  which  has  gathered 
round  our  American  brethren  in  Dublin.  No  similar 
movement  has  ever  produced  a  like  impression.  At 
any  previous  time  of  revival,  the  interest  was  con- 
fined within  a  narrow  circle,  but  at  present  it  pene- 
trates the  entire  city ;  and  the  country — and  not  the 
serious    people    in    the    country   only — is    as   much 


VARIED  TESTIMONY.  277 

moved  as  the  city.  Those  who  spoke  lightly  at  first 
— those  "who  thought  they  could  ignore  it — those  who 
were  persuaded  it  was  only  a  new  sensation,  have 
slowly  altered  their  mind.  It  is  seldom  that  in  a 
company  it  is  not  mentioned  with  respect.  Men  who 
had  laughed  and  sneered  at  first  are  now  the  first  to 
rebuke  others  if  they  sneer.  The  newspapers  con- 
tinue  to  chronicle  the  meetings  with  a  fullness  never 
displayed  before ;  special  articles  are  occasionally 
written,  and  now  and  then  a  thoughtful  and  favor- 
able editorial  draws  everbody's  attention.  Three  of 
the  bishops  have  been  at  the  meetings,  and  one  of 
them,  the  Bishop  of  Kilmore,  has  warmly  commended 
'  the  wonderful  work  in  Dublin '  when  presiding  over 
his  Synod.  The  eloquent  Bishop  of  Derry,  when 
lately  preaching  at  the  re-opening  of  York  Minster, 
and  illustrating  the  place  and  power  of  praise,  said 
that  '  in  Scotland  and  Ireland  a  strong  fervor  had  been 
awakened,  and  hundreds  and  thousands  had  been 
made  earnest  by  a  single  voice  as  expressed  by  him- 
self, "  singing  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ."  '  The  Rev. 
Lord  Plunket,  '  while  not  personally  relishing  all  the 
accompaniments  of  their  teaching,'  '  blesses  God  for 
the  good  which  is  being  done  by  our  American  vis- 


278  DIFFIG  UL  TIES  0  VERCOME. 

itors,'  and  '  rejoices  that  Christ  is  being  preached  and 
souls  are  being  saved.'  Men  of  all  the  church  parties 
attend  the  halls,  and  having  come  once  are  apt  to 
come  again ;  and  one  of  the  most  constant  workers  is 
Dr.  Sydney  Smith,  the  Professor  of  Biblical  Greek  in 
Trinity  College,  whose  daughter  wrote  the  simple 
and  wide-spread  hymn,  'Oh  for  the  Robes  of  White- 
ness.' A  weekly  Roman  Catholic  journal  rebuked 
the  silence  of  its  contemporaries  by  some  abusive  arti- 
cles ;  and  the  next  week  the  Nation,  an  able  paper  in 
the  interests  of  the  same  faith,  rebuked  the  rudeness, 
and  bade  the  movement  God-speed. 

Growing  in  Strength. 

"  As  for  the  meetings,  there  is  not  only  no  lessen- 
ing of  interest  in  them,  but  a  positive  increase.  It 
was  supposed  by  many  whose  sympathies  went  en- 
tirely with  them  that  there  would  be  a  falling  away, 
and  the  supposition  was  not  unnatural.  The  Protest- 
ant population  is  small — only  a  fourth  of  the  whole  ; 
and  nine-tenths  of  it  adhere  to  the  Episcopal  Church, 
in  which,  more  than  elsewhere,  the  ministers  shrink 
from  openly  identifying  themselves  with  either  lay 
preaching  or  the  inquiry-room.     So  that  while  all  the 


MOCKERS  ATTRACTED.  279 

ministers  of  the  other  denominations  came  forward 
round  Mr.  Moody,  probably  not  more  than  a  third  or 
fourth  of  those  belonging  to  the  dominant  communion 
took  the  same  stand ;  and  some,  who  are  earnest  men 
of  God,  even  took  up  a  hostile  position.  Yet  there 
has  been  no  slackening  of  the  marvelous  attendance, 
either  by  day  or  by  night.  Every  increase  of  accom- 
modation is  met  by  a  fresh  in  pour  of  eager  men  and 
women.  During  the  last  Bible-readings,  not  only 
were  the  passages  choked,  but  a  dense  throng  swarmed 
round  each  door,  far  beyond  hearing  point,  and  as 
many  left  as  would  have  filled  another  building.  For 
two  Sabbaths  it  has  been  necessary  to  lift  the  tempo- 
rary curtain,  and  allow  the  people  to  overflow  the  en- 
tire area  of  the  Palace ;  and  every  evening  a  crowd 
of  two  or  three  hundred,  mostly  well-dressed  persons, 
patiently  waits  in  the  November  cold  round  the  outer 
doors,  in  the  hope  that  there  may  be  still  some  place 
for  them  when  these  doors  are  opened  for  a  few  min- 
utes, just  before  the  sermon. 

"  There  are  some  in  this  crowd  who  do  not  come 
with  the  best  motives.  i  "Won't  you  run  in  and  be 
converted?'  one  young  man  said  to  another,  a  few 
evenings  ago,  with  a  laugh.     '  "Well,   I  don't  mind 


280  MISGIVINGS  BANISHED. 

having  a  try  at  it  for  five  minutes,'  his  companion  re- 
plied, elbowing  his  way  in.  Yet  in  five  minutes  af- 
ter they  were  seated  their  faces  were  riveted  on  Mr. 
Moody,  a  part  of  that  most  impressive  upturned  mass 
of  faces  that  is  fixed  on  him  as  long  as  he  speaks  ; 
and  there  is  not  an  evening  that  men  do  not  acknowl- 
edge in  the  inquiry-room  having  entered  as  carelessly 
as  these,  and  having  been  arrested  and  forced  to  ask, 
*  What  must  I  do  to  he  saved  f ' 

"  It  has  to  be  said,  also,  that  many  ministers  who  do 
not  come  prominently  forward  are  ardent  friends  of 
the  work,  and  that  large  as  the  platform  is,  the  min- 
isters upon  it  are  only  a  small  part  of  those  at  the 
meetings.  They  come  from  the  most  remote  districts 
of  the  country.  And  there  are  very  many  who  at  first 
were  doubtful,  and  who  regarded  the  movement  with 
misgivings,  who  are  now  blessing  God  for  what  is  done 
in  Dublin  ;  and  whose  prayer  is  that  He  may  work 
the  same  works  over  the  whole  island.  Even  those 
whose  position  removes  them  farthest  from  sympathy 
speak  now  with  frank  respect  both  of  the  service  and 
of  the  American  brethren.  Nor  can  anything  be  more 
cordial  and  delightful  than  the  practical  and  truly 
brotherly  unity  with  which  the   various  clergymen 


"  BABES  AND  SUCKLINGS."  281 

work  together,  rejoicing  in  the  truth,  and  not  seeking 
their  own,  but  in  honor  preferring  one  another  ;  and 
it  is  impossible  but  that  this  spirit  will  pass  out  from 
them  to  the  other  ministers  of  their  respective  Church- 
es, or  that  those  who  have  learned  a  mutual  esteem 
and  acquired  a  mutual  regard  in  this  toil  for  the  Mas- 
ter will  shrink  back  again  into  their  former  relation. 

The  Children. 

"  Besides  the  noon  prayer-meeting  (at  which  there 
are  now  as  many  brief  spontaneous  addresses  as  pray- 
ers), the  evening  evangelistic  service,  and  the  Bible 
Headings,  a  children's  meeting  at  four,  and  a  men's 
meeting  at  nine,  have  been  maintained.  The  chil- 
dren's day  still  makes  Saturday  a  festival.  When  Air. 
Moody  presided,  he  turned  it  for  a  time,  and  with  the 
happiest  effect,  into  a  huge  Sunday-school  class,  the 
answrers  to  his  questions  corning  back  in  overpower- 
ing volleys  from  the  thousands  of  voices,  and  with  so 
much  precision  that  he  once  or  twice  good-naturedly 
told  the  children  they  should  be  in  his  place.  At  all 
these  Saturday  meetings  there  have  been  little  ones 
led  to  Jesus ;  and  very  happy  stories  they  have  to  tell, 
when  they  come  asking  for  'a  convert's  ticket.'     '  It 


282  SOLDIERS  THOUGHT  OF. 

was  when  Mr.  Sankey  told  us  about  the  cleft  in  the 
rock,  and  how,  when  a  little  child  was  put  in,  it  was 
quite  safe  ;  and  I  just  let  Jesus  put  me  in,'  one  will 
say  ;  and  then  another ;  '  It  was  Mr.  Moody  that  said 
looking  at  the  brazen  serpent  meant  that  we  should 
look  at  Jesus,  and  I  was  ver}^  sorry,  because  I  knew 
I  had  been  naughty ;  but  I  did  look  to  Jesus,  and  I 
know  Jesus  loves  me,  and  I'm  not  afraid  to  die.'  " 

Yarious  classes  were  approached.  Thus  Sir 
Arthur  Cotton's  daughter,  Miss  Cotton,  was  induced 
by  Mr.  Moody  to  leave  her  work  at  Dorking  for 
a  little :  and  she  addressed  four  very  large  assem- 
blies of  women  in  Dublin,  and  three  in  Belfast.  And 
a  concert,  for  which  the  Exhibition  had  been  engaged 
before  it  was  taken  for  the  preaching  of  the  gospel, 
led  to  the  most  characteristic  service  that  has  been 
held,  as  there  could  be  no  public  evening  service. 
More  than  seven  hundred  soldiers,  of  every  arm  of 
the  service,  accepted  an  invitation  to  tea,  presided 
over  by  officers'  wives  and  daughters.  Mr.  Sankey 
sang  for  them  and  with  them,  and  the  shout  of  the 
chorus  to  "  Hold  the  Fort "  quite  overcame  many  who 
were  present ;  while  Mr.  Moody,  saying  that  the 
sight  of  the  red  coats  had  driven  his  sermon  out  of 


THE  INQ  UIR  Y-ROO.V.  283 

his  head,  simply  told  story  upon  story  out  of  his  own 
experience  in  the  American  war  till  he  was  overcome 
with  emotion,  preaching  the  gospel  with  a  tenderness 
and  force  that  were  marvelously  impressive,  and  that 
allowed  no  surprise  when  so  many  of  the  men  re- 
mained for  the  inquiry-meeting,  and  of  those  that  re- 
mained so  many  declared  they  had  found  Jesus.  The 
morning  meeting  for  workers  was  resumed  on  the 
final  Sabbath  of  his  stay,  and  was  a  re-delivery  to  men 
onlv,  of  the  lecture  on  Daniel,  which  he  had  given  at 
the  Bible-reading  three  days  before,  with  a  power 
which  those  who  heard  it  previously  in  Scotland  de- 
clared he  had  never  approached. 

The  great  building  had  been  engaged  for  a  month, 
but  another  week's  occupation  of  it  was  secured,  and 
a  convention  for  three  days  was  arranged  for  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  services.  We  give  in  substance  the 
account  of  it,  furnished,  with  many  other  details,  by 
the  Rev.  W.  Fleming  Stevenson,  only  abbreviating  in 
parts,  his  graphic  report : 

-  Among  the  points  of  interest  in  Dublin,  there  is 
none  more  singular,  and  at  the  same  time  more  sol- 
emn than  the  inquiry-room.  Sometimes  the  large 
concert-hall  has  been  occupied,  sometimes  the  small, 


284  HUSBAND  AND  WIFE. 

sometimes  both.  Once  or  twice  the  main  building  has 
been  given  over  exclusively  to  women,  while  the  men 
have  been  withdrawn  to  one  of  the  side  halls.  The 
numbers  who  remained  for  conversation  were  often  very 
large — many  hundreds,  now  and  then  approaching  a 
thousand.  The  band  of  workers  who  spoke  with, 
them  has  also  been  large,  and  includes,  perhaps,  fifty 
ministers.  Persons  have  come  of  every  shade  of 
opinion.  A  skeptic  has  written  down  his  feelings  in 
a  note-book — an  honest  doubter,  who  submits  them 
seriatim  for  answer,  and  expresses  thankfulness  as 
they  are  met,  and  his  mind  is  left  more  open  to  receive 
Christ.  One  has  come  to  scoff,  and  avows  that  he 
only  wants  to  see  into  the  thing ;  but  a  pointed,  firm 
word,  spoken  in  love,  has  sunk  below  his  shallow  scorn, 
and  he  finds  himself  grappling  with  sin.  A  gentle- 
man has  come  from  a  town  many  miles  away  ;  he  has 
fallen  into  sin,  and  wandered  far  from  Christ.  His 
wife  had  often  borne  the  burden  on  her  heart  to  God, 
and,  on  returning  home  from  a  short  absence,  finds  he 
has  gone  hurriedly  to  the  meetings ;  now,  in  the 
inquiry-room  she  finds  the  wanderer  restored,  full  of 
sorrow,  but  more  full  of  thanksgiving,  and  the  hus- 
band and  wife  leave  the  building  together,  with  a  joy 


MOTHER  AND  DAUGHTERS.  2S5 

that  is  unspeakable.  Here  are  two,  a  gentleman  and 
his  wife  that  have  traveled  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  from  their  home.  They  are  greatly  moved  ; 
the  woman  sobs,  the  man  cannot  check  a  silent  tear 
that  trickles  down  his  cheek ;  their  quest  for  peace 
seems  only  to  have  brought  them  into  woe ;  but  before 
the  meeting  breaks  up,  the  light  has  broken  in,  and 
they  rejoice  in  the  Lord.  There  is  a  young  Swede, 
who  has  only  recently  come  from  the  North,  and  tells 
his  trouble  through  very  broken  English ;  the  next 
evening  he  is  looking  to  Jesus.  Some  are  Roman 
Catholics,  probably  very  ignorant  of  Bible  teaching, 
but  receiving  the  truth  with  avidity ;  coming,  per- 
haps, again  and  again.  Some,  with  a  beaming  face 
and  a  great  but  gentle  earnestness,  are  leading  in 
others — sisters  with  sisters,  young  men  bringing 
friends.  There  is  a  lady  who  has  come  up  from  the 
country,  and  has  brought  in  four  grown-up  daughters. 
A  minister  is  passing,  and  stops.  He  has  already  long 
since  led  that  lady  to  Christ,  and  he  has  baptized  these 
four  girls;  but  it  is  fourteen  years  since  he  left  their 
neighborhood  for  another,  very  distant.  He  sits  down 
beside  them,  and  does  not  leave  till  the  mother  re- 
joices with  him  over  them  all. 


286  STUDENTS  FROM  COLLEGE. 

"  In  such  work  as  this,  the  hour  passes  quickly  away. 
All  are  busy,  too  busy  to  note  what  happens  around 
them ;  the  sound  of  prayer  and  earnest  speech  rises 
everywhere ;  then,  as  one  leaves  after  another,  Mr. 
Moody  stands  near  the  door,  and  speaks  a  parting  word 
to  each,  the  lights  are  put  out,  and  the  work  of  the  day 
is  over.  For  some  time  past  another  large  meeting 
has  been  conducted  in  another  part  of  the  city  (in  the 
Metropolitan  Hall)  at  the  same  hour  as  the  evening 
inquiry-meeting  (for  during  the  day  also  there  are  op- 
portunities for  inquirers),  and  yet  the  attendance  at 
both  has  daily  increased.  It  is  exclusively  for  young 
men,  and  is  conducted  by  Mr.  Henry  Drummond, 
who  was  urgently  entreated  to  leave  work  of  the 
same  kind  in  Derry,  that  he  might  come  up  to  this. 
At  first  it  seemed  harder  to  deal  with  them,  and  less 
impression  was  made  than  elsewhere  ;  but  that  is  all 
past,  and  probably  there  are  nowhere  more  striking 
instances  of  the  grace  of  God.  Latterly,  several  of 
the  students  have  been  here,  and  some  have  believed  ; 
and  it  is  a  distinct  rallying-point  for  young  men. 

"  From  all  this,  it  is  natural  to  expect  that  fruit  is 
being  gathered  every  day. 

"  The  son  of  Christian  parents  is  in  a  house  of  busi- 


"  IIAPPY  AS  A  KING."  287 

ness,  where  one  of  the  young  men  especially  was  an 
undesirable  companion,  and  many  prayers  had 
ascended  that  the  lad  might  be  kept  from  harm. 
Not  only  has  he  been  led  to  Jesus,  but  four  others 
with  him,  and  among  them  that  very  one  whose  in- 
fluence was  so  dreaded.  In  another  house  several  had 
scoffed,  and  were  profane  and  skeptical ;  but  one  of 
the  first  who  decided  for  Christ  there  went  ven^  sim- 
ply round  the  rest,  and  told  them  where  he  stood, 
that,  as  he  said,  there  might  be  no  mistake.  t  There 
are  four  brothers,  besides  myself/  said  a  fine,  intelli- 
gent lad  in  a  printing  office,  '  and  the  Lord  has  found 
us  every  one.'  Four  sisters  came  together  for  tickets 
to  the  converts'  meeting.  They  had  only  been  a 
week  or  two  in  Dublin,  coming  to  it  from  a  country 
town,  and  already  they  had  the  joy  of  believing. 
A  mechanic  came  in  to-day.  i  I  hurried  down  from 
the  shop,'  he  said — it  was  the  fitting  shop  of  one  of 
the  great  railway  stations — '  as  soon  as  we  knocked  off 
work.  There  are  more  than  twenty  that  have  been 
greatly  concerned,  and  there'll  be  many  of  them  will 
want  a  ticket.  We  have  hard  times  of  it  among  the  rest ; 
but  I  was  just  like  them,  and  I  can't  complain.  And, 
Sir,  I  am  just  as  happy  as  a  king.' 


288  MOTHER  AND  SON 

"  A  gentleman  residing  in  Belfast  came  up  with  his 
family  to  Dublin  ;  and  now,  in  Dublin,  the  children 
have  all  been  brought  to  the  Lord.  Two  brothers 
lived  in  Glasgow  while  Mr.  Moody  was  holding 
meetings  there.  One  of  them  was  converted,  but  he 
could  not  induce  the  other  to  go  to  the  meetings. 
Some  time  after  they  were  separated.  The  former 
was  obliged  to  change  his  residence  for  London,  the 
latter  for  Dublin.  The  heart  of  the  one  yearned 
greatly  over  the  other,  and  when  he  learned  that  Mr. 
Moody  was  in  Dublin,  he  pleaded  with  his  brother 
more  than  ever.  At  last  he  got  leave,  and  hurried 
across  himself  to  induce  him  to  attend  the  meetings; 
in  his  earnest  compulsion,  brought  him,  introduced 
him  to  Mr.  Moody  ;  and  within  a  week  the  brothers 
were  rejoicing  together. 

"  An  elderly  lady  introduced  herself  to  a  minister, 
her  eyes  full  of  tears.  '  Sir,  on  Monday  evening  I 
saw  my  sins  like  burning  flames.  Oh !  I  did  not 
know  before  that  I  was  a  sinner.  I  did  not  know  how 
to  escape.  It  wras  like  fire  on  every  side  of  me.  And 
they  spoke  to  me  of  Jesus.  I  broke  out  crying  quite 
loud.  I  couldn't  help  it.  And  when  I  went  home, 
and  my  son  met  me,  I  said  :  "  What  will  they  think 


LITTLE  RIDICULE.  289 

of  me,  acting  in  that  way?"  "Mother,"  said  he, 
"  don't  be  ashamed  of  the  tears  of  repentance."  *  I  can't 
keep  from  crying  now,  but  they  are  tears  of  joy.  And 
Sir,  it  was  my  son  would  give  me  no  rest  till  I  went 
to  the  meetings  ;  for  he  had  gone  himself,  and  came 
back  believing  in  Jesus."    Happy  mother,  happy  son  ! 

"  A  gentleman  had  not  heard  a  sermon  for  two 
years,  as  he  had  grown  deaf,  and  his  minister's  voice  was 
low.  ,  He  went  to  Mr.  Moody,  sat  near  the  front,  and 
heard.  His  joy  was  very  touching  when  God  had 
opened  not  only  the  ear  but  the  heart,  and  he  came 
for  a  ticket  to  the  meeting  for  converts.  An  infidel, 
who  was  led  to  come,  and  was  led  to  faith  in  the 
Saviour,  afterwards  came  bringing  three  like  himself. 

"I  have  strung  these  incidents  loosely  together; 
they  are  examples  of  what  is  occurring  every  day,  and 
what  it  is  hoped  will  be  occurring  for  many  a  day  to 
come.  There  is  scarcely  a  parish  or  congregation  in 
the  city  where  there  has  not  been  blessing,  and  in 
some,  the  blessing  has  been  very  full ;  while  numbers 
who  came  up  from  the  country  have  gone  back  again 
praising  God. 

"  The  town  is  more  full  than  ever  of  what  is  happen- 
ing. There  is  comparatively  little  ridicule,  and  there 
13 


290  NO  NATURAL  CA  USB. 

is  much  inquiry.  At  a  well-known  meeting  of  scien- 
tific men  the  other  day,  the  discussion  turned  largely 
on  Mr.  Moody  and  the  meetings,  and  it  appeared 
that  several  of  those  present  had  been  there.  One, 
who  does  not  trouble  himself  about  the  Christian 
faith,  said  that,  he  could  not  find  any  sufficient  natural 
causes  that  would  quite  account  for  them — causes 
that  would  satisfy  scientific  inquiry — and  that  he  was 
driven  to  the  persuasion  that  there  must  be  a  super- 
natural cause. 

"  At  a  meeting  of  one  of  the  principal  medical  soci- 
eties, the  chairman,  in  his  address,  touched  earnestly  on 
the  opportunity  the  physician  had  as  a  Christian,  and 
the  dignity  it  lent  his  office  ;  and  though  the  members 
are  of  very  opposite  religious  persuasions,  and  his  course 
was  so  novel  as  to  startle  many,  the  remarks  met  with 
hearty  approval. 

"  It  has  been  desired  to  continue  at  least  some  of  the 
meetings  after  the  brethren  leave,  and  in  the  same 
spirit  of  unity.  There  will  be  the  daily  noon  prayer- 
meeting  in  the  Metropolitan  Hall,  except  on  Saturday, 
when  there  will  be  a  meeting  for  children  at  two 
o'clock ;  and  on  Sabbath,  when  there  will  be  an  after- 
noon service  at  four,  in  the  large  concert-hall  of  the 


THE  CONVENTION.  291 

Exhibition  Palace.  It  is  also  intended  to  have  a  united 
evangelistic  service  every  Tuesday  evening  at  eight, 
in  the  Metropolitan  Hall,  and  to  keep  up  the  evening 
meeting  for  men." 

The  Convention  of  Ministers  was  a  happy  inspira- 
tion; due  to  the  indefatigable  secretary  of  the  General 
Committee.  There  were  only  a  few  days  to  prepare, 
but  the  details  were  carried  out  with  an  energy  that 
was  marvelous.  It  was  like  nothing  so  much  as  the 
hearty  haste  with  which  the  posts  went  out  to  '  all  the 
provinces  of  King  Ahasuerus.'  Arrangements  were 
made  by  which  return-tickets  could  be  had  from  any 
part  of  Ireland  for  a  single  fare,  and  yet  be  available 
for  a  week ;  and  hospitality  was  so  abundantly  offered 
that  every  visitor  found  a  kindly  welcome.  The  num- 
ber of  ministers  was  probably  not  short  of  eight 
hundred,  of  whom  more  than  half  belonged  to  the 
Episcopal  Church,  the  Presbyterian  and  Wesleyan 
making  the  bulk  of  the  remainder ;  but  the  Inde- 
pendent and  Baptist  Churches,  and  the  Society  of 
Eriends  were  also  well  represented.  The  geographi- 
cal representation  was  as  complete  as  the  ecclesiastical. 
Frttm  County  .Kerry  to  County  Donegal,  from  Con- 
nemara  on  the  west,  from  Cork,  and  Wexford,  and 


292  «  THE  M1NISTB  T: 


Waterford  on  the  south,  from  cities  like  Belfast  and 
Derry,  where  the  blessing  has  been  rising  like  a  full 
tide,  and  from  ancient  and  secluded  hamlets,  where 
the  news  of  God's  work  has  been  slow  to  penetrate, 
from  rectories  and  manses,  the  streams  poured  into 
the  capital.  The  days  of  the  Convention  were  days 
of  joyful  surprise,  as  friends  unexpectedly  met  from 
one  distant  place  after  another. 

Many  had  already  come  on  Monday  evening,  and 
were  soon  in  service,  addressing  an  extemporized 
meeting  that  had  to  be  formed  of  those  who  could 
not  get  access  into  the  building,  or  speaking  with 
inquirers,  and  thus  came  at  once  in  contact  with  what 
had  been  reported  to  them;  for  the  sermon  on  that 
evening,  "What  shall  I  do  then  with  Jesus  which 
is  called  Christ  ? "  (Matt,  xxvii.  22),  had  been  with 
unusual  power,  and  the  large  halls  for  inquiry  were 
crowded.  It  was,  however,  at  the  all-day  meet- 
ing on  Tuesday  that  the  Convention  assumed  its  real 
proportions,  and  the  interest  and  blessing  that  had 
gathered  round  the  previous  weeks  were  carried  to 
their  highest  point.  The  ministers  formed  a  com- 
pact body,  in  seats  numbered  and  reserved  f or  thejn ; 
the  crowd  stretched  beyond,  and  from  one  o'clock  it 


THE  TOPICS  CHOSEX.  293 

was  so  large  that  it  filled  the  building  from  end  to 
end. 

u  Mr.  Moody  presided  throughout,  and  members  of 
every  evangelical  communion  joined  in  the  addresses 
and  prayers.  The  noon  hour  was  devoted,  as  usual, 
to  the  subject  for  the  day ;  and  though  the  requests 
for  prayer  number  now  sometimes  many  hundreds, 
and  are  simply  massed  in  groups,  they  were  made 
impressive  by  the  brief  supplication  of  a  single  sen- 
tence with  which  each  group  was  fittingly  followed 
by  the  reader,  the  meeting  all  the  while  continuing 
bowed  in  silent  prayer.  The  three  topics  chosen  for 
conference  were :  Praise  and  Thanksgiving,  How  to 
reach  the  Masses,  and  How  to  fill  Ireland  with  the 
Gospel.  The  two  former  were  introduced  by  Epis- 
copalian clergymen,  the  latter  by  a  Presbyterian ; 
and  besides  these  longer  addresses,  there  were  others 
of  five  minutes,  which  fell  to  ministers  of  other  com- 
munions. Conference,  in  the  strict  sense  of  the 
word,  was  precluded  by  the  size  of  the  hall  and  the 
audience ;  but  the  same  subjects  were  treated  on 
Thursday  in  a  four  hours'  meeting,  when  none  but 
the  ministers  were  present,  and  when,  from  the 
smaller  numbers,  interchange  of  opinion  was  easy. 


294  "  PROSEL  TTINQ  FROM  CHURCHES." 

The  remaining  two  hours  of  the  day  on  Tuesday 
were  occupied  by  Mr.  Moody  ;  the  first  by  the 
"  Question  Drawer,"  and  the  second  by  his  lecture 
on  "  Works."  In  the  former,  the  answers  to  which  he 
gave  most  time  were  on  drunkenness  and  sectarian- 
ism. "  God  had  vouchsafed  a  blessed  unity ;  woe  to 
the  unhappy  person  who  should  first  break  it."  Yet 
it  would  be  broken  if  there  was  proselytism.  This 
would  be  the  triumph  of  sect  over  Christ.  The  cry 
is,  "  Come  out !  come  out  from  a  sect ! "  But  where  ? 
into  another  sect  ?  Every  body  of  believers  is  a  sect. 
This  spirit  that  always  cries,  "  Come  out ! "  that 
proselyting  from  the  Churches,  is  from  Satan.  I  say, 
Stay  in.  If  you  have  a  minister  that  preaches 
Christ — and  your  town  has  many — stand  by  him. 
You  will  gain  nothing  but  trouble  and  pride  by  leav- 
ing him.  There  are  people  who  consider  that  de- 
nouncing Churches  and  finding  fault  with  ministers 
is  "  bearing  testimony."  These  people  will  bear  tes- 
timony for  years,  and  that  is  all  Christ  gets  from 
them.  I  warn  you,  as  a  Christian  brother,  beware  of 
trying  to  get  some  of  these  young  people  away  from 
the  folds  where  they  have  been  fed.  You  will  heap 
guilt  on  your  head.     The  moment  we  begin  to  lift  up 


"  THEY  WHO  SEPARATE:'  295 

our  little  party  or  our  Church,  then  the  Spirit  of  God 
seems  to  leave,  and  there  is  no  more  conversion." 

The  effect  produced  by  these  timely  words  was 
profound.  Those  who  had  come  dreading  that,  after 
all,  this  movement  would  be  like  some  previous,  and 
end  in  secession  and  the  weakening  instead  of  the 
strengthening  of  Christians,  were  reassured ;  and 
throughout  this  hour  and  the  next,  the  majority  of 
the  ministers  who  had  not  heard  Mr.  Moody  speak 
before  learnt  something  of  the  power  he  wields,  and 
were  forced  into  the  same  unity  as  those  who  had 
been  fellow-laborers  from  the  beginning.  Indeed, 
the  condition  of  the  meeting  was  one  of  the  most 
eager  and  responsive  sympathy.  Every  chord  was 
true,  and  vibrated  at  the  lightest  touch.  Aged  min- 
isters bowed  their  gray  hairs,  and  wept  at  times  with 
joy.  A  minister  would  grasp  the  hand  of  another 
he  had  never  seen  before,  merely  because  he  sat 
beside  him.  One  might  sit,  at  first,  with  a  look  of 
wonder  and  almost  contempt,  but  further  on  in  the 
day  the  face  would  quiver  with  emotion.  Many  an  eye 
glistened  with  quiet  tears.  Now,  for  the  first  time  in 
the  meetings,  the  excitement  would  not  be  controlled, 
but  broke  out  in  applause  that  even  the  self-recol- 


296  IRREPRESSIBLE  FEELING. 

lection  of  some,  and  the  cry  of  "  Hush ! "  did  not 
always  repress.  In  truth,  the  atmosphere  was  elec- 
tric, though  there  was  little  cloud  in  the  sky:  and 
without  any  sufficient  cause  flashes  would  break  out, 
soft  and  swift  and  pervading  as  summer  lightning. 
At  one  point  during  the  discussion  of  Ireland,  the 
central  subject  of  the  day,  and  when  Mr.  Sankey, 
seizing  the  opportunity  with  his  usual  tact,  sang 
"  Hold  the  Fort,"  alone,  and  the  vast  multitude,  the 
ministers  leading,  lifted  up  the  chorus  in  a  mighty 
shout,  the  enthusiasm  was  overpowering  and  alto- 
gether indescribable.  Such  a  scene  was  never  wit- 
nessed in  Ireland  before,  for  there  never  had  been 
such  a  meeting.  It  was  the  first  time  that  all  these 
ministers  had  met  on  a  platform  broader  than  their 
Churches,  gathering  close  together  round  their  com- 
mon Saviour ;  and  it  is  easy  to  see  already  that  the 
impression  on  the  country  is  very  deep.  Four  of  the 
daily  papers  devoted  long  reports  to  the  meetings, 
one  of  them  as  much  as  six  columns  ;  and  not  only  is 
the  news  thus  spread,  but  even  the  happy  device,  by 
which  the  committee  gave  the  clergymen  of  one  com- 
munion as  guests  to  the  members  of  another,  helps 
the  fusing  and  widens  the  catholicity.     It  was  a  time 


Q  HITTING  IRELAND.  297 

that  will  be  always  memorable  in  the  history  of  Ire- 
land,— that  many  hope  will  be  the  starting-point  of 
an  Ireland  where  all  things  will  be  new. 

This  concluded  practically  the  labor  of  the  breth- 
ren in  Ireland.     They  now  turned  their  faces  towards 
the  great  cities  of  England,  to  which  a  brief  chapter 
must  be  given. 
13 


CHAPTER  VI 

ENGLAND  AGAIN. 

Early  in  December  the  American  evangelists 
passed  over  to  Manchester,  where  much  prayer  had 
been  offered  for  a  blessing  on  their  visit.  The  Rev. 
"W.  H.  Drewett  gives  a  concise  view  of  their  opening 
efforts  in  that  great  city.  We  omit  details,  the  coun- 
terpart of  which  has  been  fully  reported  in  connec- 
tion with  other  places. 

"  Many  thousands  of  Christian  people  have  been 
praying  for  Manchester.  The  preparatory  work,  in- 
deed, has  been  going  on  all  the  year,  especially  since 
the  month  of  April,  when  united  evangelistic  services 
were  held  in  almost  all  the  Nonconformist  places  of 
worship  throughout  the  district.  These  preparatory 
meetings  were  brought  to  a  close  last  Saturday,  with 
a  Communion  Service,  in  which  upwards  of  two 
thousand  Christians  of  various  denominations  joined. 

"  At  the  meeting  for  workers  on  Sunday  morning, 
the  attendance  was  astonishing,  numbering  nearly,  if 


MANCHESTER.  299 


not  quite,  two  thousand  five  hundred  persons.  Most 
of  these  had  walked  distances  varying  from  one  to 
three  miles,  some  far  more,  though  the  rain  fell  in  tor- 
rents through  a  thick,  cold  fog. 

"  Perhaps  the  first  feeling  with  many,  after  curiosity 
was  satisfied,  was  something  like  disappointment. 
But  soon  the  meeting  was  filled  with  an  influence 
quite  distinct  from  any  of  the  usual  effects  of  oratory. 
It  seemed  as  if,  as  in  the  olden  time,  'the  Holy 
Ghost  fell  on  them  that  heard  the  word.'  Mr. 
Moody's  theme  was  i  Christian  Courage,'  and  in 
dwelling  upon  it  he  evidently  sought  to  strike  the 
key-note  for  all  the  services  to  follow.  When,  at  the 
close  of  the  address,  the  hymn  was  sung,  '  Hold  the 
Fort,'  few  eyes  were  dry. 

"  The  work  has  been  going  on  since,  much  as  it  did 
during  the  first  week  or  fortnight  in  Dublin,  and  in 
other  places.  There  is  no  doubt  that  Messrs.  Moody 
and  Sankey  have  already  made  a  most  favorable  im- 
pression upon  a  large  portion  of  the  Christian  public 
of  our  city.  The  charm  of  Mr.  Sankey's  affectionate 
nature  has  been  felt  by  many,  as  well  as  the  power 
of  his  gift  of  song.  The  gifts  which  fit  Mr.  Moody 
to  be  the  leader  of  a  religious  movement  like  the 


300  FIRST  FRUITS. 


present  are  recognized  by  every  one.  Men  accustomed 
to  authority  willingly  put  themselves  under  his  or- 
ders. He  inspires  confidence.  All  feel  at  once  his 
practical  good  sense  and  singleness  of  purpose. 
Among  his  natural  endowments  is  a  power  of  pathos 
which  must  tell  everywhere,  but  will  tell  especially 
upon  a  Lancashire  audience.  It  seems  to  lay  hold  of 
the  men  even  more  than  of  the  women.  In  his 
energetic,  vigorous  nature  there  is  a  great  depth  of 
tenderness,  which  now  and  then  breaks  forth  in  his 
addresses  with  extraordinary  power.  Above  all,  he 
feels  and  speaks  as  though  he  felt  that  the  excellency 
of  the  power  is  of  God,  and  not  of  us. 

"  The  crowds  which  flock  to  hear  our  friends,  if  they 
do  not  increase,  continue  undiminished.  Already 
not  a  few  have  found  peace  in  Jesus  through  their 
word.  Mr.  Moody  has  more  than  once  said  in  public 
that  nowhere,  during  the  first  week  of  his  labors,  have 
such  meetings  been  held  as  in  Manchester.  Still,  it 
would  be  folly  to  suppose  that  the  work  as  yet  is  more 
than  just  beginning." 

How  it  proceeded  the  Rev.  C.  A.  Davis  tells  us : 
"None  could  withstand  the  conviction  that  the 
Spirit  of  God  was  operating  in  the  solemnized  assem- 


HIS  WHOLE  SELF." 


bly  as  they  beheld,  under  the  influence  that  swayed 
the  meeting  during  Mr.  Moody's  appeals,  business 
men,  one  after  another,  rising  to  be  prayed  for.  The 
address  had  been  growing  in  earnestness ;  the  speaker 
seemed  to  come  into  contact  with  the  souls  of  the 
people  before  him.  He  requested  any  who  wished  to 
be  prayed  for  to  rise.  He  quietly  repeated  the  invi- 
tation. One  was  seen  to  stand  in  the  left-hand  gallery 
and  cover  his  face  with  his  hands ;  another  in  the 
area.  Mr.  Moody  said  solemnly,  "  There  is  one  risen ; 
thank  God  for  that.  Another ;  and  another.  Chris- 
tians, keep  on  praying.  Another.  Jesus  is  passing 
by.  You  may  never  have  such  an  opportunity  again. 
You  may  never  again  have  so  many  Christians  pray- 
ing for  you."  Before  many  minutes  people  were  stand- 
in  all  parts  of  the  hall,  amid  deep  silence,  broken 
only  by  a  hushed  response  at  each  new  appeal  for 
continued  prayer.  At  the  close  of  the  meeting  the 
anxious  ones  were  invited  into  the  inquiry  rooms, 
where  Mr.  Moody  conversed  with  them  individu- 
ally. 

A  man  with  whom  the  writer  conversed,  rose  from 
his  knees,  where  he  had  committed  "his  whole  self" 
to  Christ,  and  said,  "  I  came  from  Bolton  to-day.     I 


302  THE  SO  UL  OF  THE  MO  VEMENT. 

did  not  think  I  should  find  Christ."  A  brother  min- 
ister brought  up  another  young  convert.  It  was  this 
man's  nephew  who  had  just  found  peace.  The  two 
greeted  each  other  with  joyful  surprise. 

Afternoon  meetings  for  women  have  been  held  in 
the  Rev.  A.  McLaren's  chapel,  Oxford  Road.  It  is 
strange  to  observe  them  thronging  the  road  on  their 
way  to  the  chapel,  and  still  more  strange  to  see  them  oc- 
cupying all  the  available  standing-room  in  the  spacious 
building.  Not  less  than  two  thousand  women  were 
present  on  Tuesday  afternoon.  These  meetings,  like 
all  the  rest,  increase  in  power  as  they  proceed,  and  on 
Thursday  when  Mr.  Moody  entered  the  lecture-hall, 
he  found  it  filled  with  weeping,  kneeling  inquirers. 
Many  left  with  the  joy  of  pardon  on  their  spirits. 

The  noon  prayer-meeting  has,  with  one  exception, 
been  held  in  the  Free  Trade  Hall,  with  an  attendance 
of  from  two  to  three  thousand.  In  these  meetings  may 
be  found  the  soul  of  the  movement.  It  is  the  daily 
united  cry  to  God  which  brings  upon  the  city  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  for  conviction  and  conver- 
sion. On  Thursday,  dealing  with  the  objection  that 
this  work  is  not  of  God,  Mr.  Moody  said,  "  What  do 
these  noon  prayer-meetings  mean  ?  what  do  men  come 


CO-  OPERA  TION  ASKED.  303 

here  by  hundreds,  I  might  say  by  thousands,  to  pray 
for  ?  A  genuine  work  of  God.  And  will  He  give 
us  a  counterfeit  ?  If  we  ask  bread  will  He  give  us  a 
stone  ?  The  Shunammite  fell  at  the  feet  of  Elisha 
and  said,  '  As  the  Lord  thy  God  liveth  I  will  not 
leave  thee.'  She  wasn't  going  to  trust  in  that  old 
staff,  nor  in  the  servant.  She  would  trust  only  in  the 
master  ;  arid  well  it  was  for  her,  or  she  would  never 
have  got  back  her  child.  And  the  prayer-meeting 
clings  to  the  feet  of  God.  We  will  not  have  the  staff ; 
we  will  not  trust  in  the  servants,  but  only  in  the 
Master  Himself ;  He  can  and  will  raise  the  dead." 

Finding  one  influential  class  of  ministers — whose 
co-operation  was  always  sought — poorly  represented 
at  the  meetings,  Mr.  Moody  issued  the  following 
circular : 

"TO   THE    CLERGY    OF    MANCHESTER    AND    SALFORD. 

"  Having  come  to  Manchester  with  my  friend,  Mr. 
Sankey,  for  the  month  of  December,  with  the  one 
object  of  preaching  Christ,  it  has  been  a  matter  of 
disappointment  that  not  more  clergymen  of  the 
Church  of  England  have  attended  our  meetings. 

"  As  God  has  granted  large  blessings  where  unity 


304  "  THATS  ME: 


has  prevailed,  we  earnestly  trust  that  you  will  join  in 
seeking  a  blessing  for  Manchester. 
"Manchester,  Dec.  4,  1874.  D.  L.  Moody." 

Not  at  first,  but  with  increasing  knowledge  of  the 
work,  the  Episcopal  clergy  entered  into  it  in  consider- 
able numbers. 

The  feeling  among  the  men  was  developed  in  a 
wonderful  degree  at  the  beginning.  In  an  early 
meeting,  Mr.  Moody  stated  that  on  Friday  a  man  had 
found  peace,  and  instantly  cried  out,  "  I  am  coming, 
mother,"  when  a  man  rose  and  cried  out  in  the  center 
of  the  hall,  "  That's  me,"  and  burst  into  tears.  The 
incident  sent  a  thrill  through  the  audience.  Had  there 
been  time  for  an  inquirers'  meeting  many  would  have 
remained,  but  they  were  wisely  sent  home  to  pray. 

The  Eev.  W.  Rigby  Murray,  who  labored  with 
great  earnestness  in  Manchester,  thus  reports,  in  the 
second  week  of  effort  here : 

"  On  Saturday  evening,  the  Oxford  Hall  presented 
a  spectacle  which  those  who  witnessed  it  will  not  soon 
forget.  In  response  to  Mr.  Moody's  invitation,  some 
three  thousand  persons,  professedly  Christians,  and 
chiefly  young  men,  assembled  to  hear  him  counsel 


REGINALD  RADCLIFFE.  305 

them  regarding  Christian  work.  The  heartiness  with 
which  they  ever  and  anon  broke  forth  into  song  be- 
fore he  made  his  appearance,  and  the  manliness  with 
which  they  sang,  especially  'Dare  to  be  a  Daniel,' 
indicated  that  they  were  ready  to  receive  with  glad- 
ness the  word  of  command  from  the  lips  of  the  great 
organizer.  He  spoke  briefly  but  effectively.  He 
told  of  the  work  done  by  the  young  converts  else- 
where, especially  in  Glasgow,  in  connection  with  the 
evangelization  of  the  masses.  He  made  particular 
reference  to  the  noble  army  of  volunteers  that  rose  to 
their  feet  in  that  city  when  the  appeal  was  made  to 
them,  'TVlio  will  work  for  Jesus?'  And  then, 
when  he  made  the  same  appeal  to  themselves,  calling 
upon  all  who  were  ready  to  work  for  the  Master  to 
stand  up,  almost  the  entire  body  of  young  men — a 
grand  and  inspiring  sight — sprang  to  their  feet.  One 
could  not  help  exclaiming,  '  God  be  thanked  !  there's 
hope  for  our  city !  Manchester,  with  such  a  host,  may 
yet  be  won  for  Christ ! '  By  a  special  arrangement, 
as  it  seemed,  of  Providence,  Mr.  Reginald  Eadcliffe 
was  present,  and  immediately  put  before  them  a 
definite  plan  for  making  a  great  gospel  attack,  so  to 
speak,  upon  the  city.   He  suggested  that  an  ordnance 


306  CITY  MAPPED  OUT. 

map  of  Manchester  should  be  cut  into  small  squares, 
each  representing  a  district,  and  that  two  or  three 
young  persons  should  undertake  to  cany  the  gospel, 
in  the  shape  of  a  tract  or  otherwise,  to  every  house, 
great  and  small,  within  that  district,  so  that  no  single 
dwelling  should  be  omitted.  The  plan  appeared  to 
approve  itself  to  the  judgment  of  the  meeting,  all  the 
more  so  that  he  told  us  how  successfully  he  had  car- 
ried out  a  similar  one  in  Edinburgh  and  Liverpool 
in  years  gone  by.  The  Lord  grant  it  abundant 
success ! 

"  The  workers'  meeting,  yesterday  (13th),  was  the 
largest  since  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  came  to 
Manchester.  The  address  was  most  powerful.  A 
forcible  appeal  was  made  to  Sabbath-school  teachers 
in  this  city ;  but  one  conviction  seemed  to  exist  in 
the  minds  of  the  vast  audience  of  five  thousand, '  Let 
us  arise  and  work.' 

"  Had  Mr.  Moody  come  to  deliver  only  this  address, 
his  mission  had  not  been  in  vain.  In  the  afternoon, 
from  fifteen  thousand  to  seventeen  thousand  struggled 
for  admission.  Yarious  meetings  had  to  be  held  in 
the  Free  Trade  Hall,  Oxford  Hall,  and  Cavendish 
Chapel ;  all  crowded  as  they  never  have  been  before. 


A  HO  USE  CHAXGED.  3<>  7 

As  many  more  halls  of  the  same  size  could  have  been 
filled.  Some  twenty  to  thirty  meetings  were  held  in 
the  streets  of  the  neighborhood,  where  addresses  were 
delivered  by  ministers  and  laymen.  At  every  meet- 
ing the  Lord  was  present  to  heal.  Anxious  inquirers 
were  very  numerous.  Great  numbers  professed  to 
find  the  Saviour.    To  God  alone  be  praise ! 

u  The  meeting  for  young  men,  in  Oxford  Hall,  at 
eight,  was  also  crowded  to  excess,  hundreds  being 
unable  to  obtain  admission.  Mr.  Moody  spoke  as  if 
tongues  of  fire  hovered  over  his  head." 

The  Rev.  R.  Mitchell  said  at  the  second  Mon- 
day meeting  where  reports  of  progress  were  usually 
made  :  "  There  is  no  lack  of  facts  to  encourage  us 
and  strengthen  our  hands.  Last  night  after  the  meet- 
ing, a  gentleman  came  up  to  me  and  said  :  i  1  want 
to  have  a  talk  with  you.'  So  we  walked  down  the 
street  together.  He  told  me  he  had  been  a  skeptic 
for  years,  had  heard  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  in 
Scotland,  but  could  not  understand  what  it  was  all 
about.  He  was  a  commercial  traveler,  having  occa- 
sion to  be  from  home  frequently.  When  he  went 
home  last  time,  after  having  been  away  a  month  or 
two,  there  seemed  to  be  a  complete  change  in  the 


308  A  MEDICAL  MAN'S  VIEW. 

whole  house.  His  wife  had  been  going  to  the  meet- 
ings held  in  Edinburgh,  and  had  been  awakened  and 
had  found  peace  in  believing,  and  had  been  instru- 
mental in  leading  the  whole  family  to  the  Lord. 
This  change  in  his  dear  ones  led  him  to  inquire 
into  the  work,  and  the  result  was,  that  the  unbeliev- 
ing skeptic  is  now  a  humble  believer  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  On  Saturday  he  came  fifty  or  sixty 
miles,  that  he  might  spend  one  day  in  these  meetings. 
He  was  in  this  hall  yesterday. 

"  I  may  mention  another  case.  As  I  rode  home 
in  the  omnibus  last  Friday  evening,  a  medical  gentle- 
man, who  had  been  sitting  on  the  opposite  seat,  came 
over  to  my  side.  'Mr.  Mitchell,'  he  said,  'a  few 
days  ago  I  was  speaking  lightly  of  this  revival  work. 
But  one  of  my  friends  who  was  living  utterly  regard- 
less of  religion  has  just  been  telling  me  that  he  has 
found  salvation  at  the  meetings.  His  very  words 
were,  speaking  of  Christ,  "I  could  die  for  Him."  If 
that  be  a  specimen  of  the  revival  work,'  said  the 
medical  man,  '  it  is  the  work  of  God.'  " 

We  cannot  withhold  from  our  readers  a  vivid  de- 
scription of  two  of  Mr.  Moody's  addresses  in  Man- 
chester,  from   the    correspondent   of   the   (London) 


POWER  OF  "NO."  309 

Daily  J¥ews.  They  will  show  the  style  of  address 
bv  which.  Englishmen  were  instructed  and  interested  : 

"He  began  his  discourse  this  morning  without 
other  preface  than  a  half  apology  for  selecting  a  sub- 
ject which,  it  might  be  supposed,  everybody  knew 
everything  about.  But,  for  his  part,  he  liked  to  take 
out  and  look  upon  the  photographs  of  old  friends 
when  they  were  far  away,  and  he  hoped  that  his  hear- 
ers would  not  think  it  waste  of  time  to  take  another 
look  at  the  picture  of  Daniel.  There  was  one  pecu- 
liarity about  Daniel,  and  that  was  that  there  was  noth- 
ing against  his  character  to  be  found  all  through  the 
Bible.  Xow-a-days,  when  men  write  biographies  they 
throw  what  they  call  the  veil  of  charity  over  the  dark 
spots  in  a  career.  But  when  God  writes  a  man's  life 
He  puts  it  all  in.  So  it  happened  that  we  find  very 
few,  even  of  the  best  men  in  the  Bible,  without  their 
times  of  sin.  But  Daniel  came  out  spotless,  and  the 
preacher  attributed  his  exceptionally  bright  life  to  the 
power  of  saying  '  No.' 

"After  this  exordium  Mr.  Moody  proceeded  to  tell, 
in  his  own  words,  the  story  of  the  life  of  Daniel.  Lis- 
tening to  him  it  was  not  difficult  to  comprehend  the 
secret  of  his  great  power  over  the  masses.      Like  Bun- 


310  DANIEL'S  VICTORIES. 

yan,  he  Las  the  great  gift  of  being  able  to  realize  things 
unseen,  and  to  describe  his  vision  in  familiar  language 
to  those  whom  he  addresses.  I  am  afraid  his  notion 
of  i Babylon,  that  great  cit}7,'  would  barely  stand  the 
test  of  historical  research.  But  that  there  really  was 
in  far-off  days  a  great  city  called  Babylon,  in  which 
men  bustled  about,  ate  and  drank,  schemed  and  plot- 
ted, and  were  finally  overruled  by  the  visible  hand  of 
God,  he  made  as  clear  to  the  listening  congregation 
as  if  he  were  talking  about  Chicago.  He  filled  the 
lay  figures  with  life,  clothed  them  with  garments,  and 
then  made  them  talk  to  each  other  in  the  English  lan- 
guage as  it  is  to-day  accented  in  some  of  the  Ameri- 
can States. 

"  The  story  of  Daniel  is  one  peculiarly  susceptible  of 
Mr.  Moody's  usual  method  of  treatment,  and  for  three 
quarters  of  an  hour  he  kept  the  congregation  en- 
thralled whilst  he  told  how  Daniel's  simple  faith  tri- 
umphed over  the  machinations  of  the  unbeliever. 
Mr.  Moody's  style  is  unlike  that  of  most  religious  re- 
vivalists. He  neither  shouts  nor  gesticulates,  and 
mentioned  '  hell '  only  once,  and  that  was  in  con- 
nection with  the  life  the  drunkard  makes  for  himself. 
His  manner  is  reflected  by  the  congregation,  in  respect 


EVERYTHING  REAL.  311 

of  abstention  from  working  themselves  up  into  '  a 
state.'  Bat  this  makes  all  the  more  impressive  the 
signs  of  genuine  emotion  which  follow  and  accompany 
the  preacher's  utterance.  When  he  was  picturing  the 
scene  of  Daniel  translating  the  King's  dream,  rapidly 
repeating  Daniel's  account  of  the  dream,  and  Nebu- 
chadnezzar's quick  and  delighted  ejaculation,  i  That's 
so!'  'That's  it!'  as  he  recognized  the  incidents, 
I  fancy  it  was  not  without  difficulty  some  of  the  peo- 
ple, bending  forward  and  listening  with  glistening 
eye  and  heightened  color,  refrained  from  clapping 
their  hands  for  glee  that  the  faithful  Daniel,  the  un- 
yielding servant  of  God,  had  triumphed  over  tribula- 
tion, and  had  walked  out  of  prison  to  take  his  place 
on  the  right  hand  of  the  king.  There  was  not  much 
exhortation  throughout  the  discourse,  and  not  the 
slightest  reference  to  any  disputed  point  of  doctrine. 
The  discourse  was  nothing  more  than  a  re-telling  of 
the  story  of  Daniel.  But  whilst  Nebuchadnezzar, 
Daniel,  Shadrach,  Meshach,  Abed-nego,  Darius,  and 
even  the  one  hundred  and  twenty  princes,  became  for 
the  congregation  living  and  moving  beings,  all  the 
ends  of  the  narrative  were,  with  probably  uncon- 
scious, certainly  unbetrayed,  art,  gathered  together  to 


312  mCODEMUS. 


lead  up  to  the  one  lesson,  that  compromise,  where 
truth  and  religion  are  concerned,  is  never  worth}7-  of 
those  who  profess  to  believe  God's  word. 

'"lam  sick  of  the  shams  of  the  present  day,'  said 
Mr.  Moody,  bringing  his  discourse  to  a  sudden  close. 
'  I  am  tired  of  the  way  men  parley  with  the  world 
whilst  they  are  holding  out  their  hands  to  be  lifted 
into  heaven.  If  we  are  going  to  be  good  Christians 
and  God's  people,  let  us  be  so  out-and-out.' 

"  Last  night  I  heard  him  deliver  an  address  in  one  of 
the  densely-populated  districts  of  Salford.  Admission 
to  the  chapel  in  which  the  service  was  held  was  ex- 
clusively confined  to  women,  and,  notwithstanding 
that  it  was  Saturday  night,  there  were  at  least  a  thou- 
sand sober-looking  and  respectably-dressed  women 
present.  The  subject  of  the  discussion  was  Christ's 
conversation  with  Nicodemus — whose  social  position 
Mr.  Moody  incidentally  made  recognizable  to  the  con- 
gregation by  observing  that  '  if  he  had  lived  in  these 
days  he  would  have  been  a  doctor  of  divinity,  Nico- 
demus,  D.D.,  or  perhaps  LL.D.'  His  purpose  was 
to  make  it  clear  that  men  were  saved,  not  by  any  ac- 
tion of  their  own,  but  simply  by  faith.  This  he  illus- 
trated, among  other  ways,  by  introducing  a  domestic 


THE  BRAZEN  SERPEXT.  313 

scene  from  the  life  of  the  children  of  Israel  in  the 
wilderness  at  the  time  the  brazen  serpent  was  lifted 
up.  The  dramatis  personce  were  a  young  convert,  a 
skeptic,  and  the  skeptic's  mother.  The  convert  who 
has  been  bitten  by  the  serpent,  and,  having  followed 
Moses'  injunction,  is  cured,  '  comes  along,'  and  finds 
the  skeptic  lying  down  '  badly  bitten.'  He  entreats 
him  to  look  upon  the  brazen  serpent  which  Moses  has 
lifted  up,  but  the  skeptic  has  no  faith  in  the  alleged 
cure,  and  refuses.  '  Do  you  think,'  he  says,  '  I'm 
going  to  be  saved  by  looking  at  a  brass  serpent  away 
off  on  a  pole?  No,  no.'  '  Well,  I  don't  know,'  says 
the  young  convert,  'but  I  was  saved  that  way  myself. 
Don't  you  think  you'd  better  try  it  ? '  The  skeptic 
refuses,  and  his  mother  '  comes  along,'  and  observes, 
'  Hadn't  you  better  look  at  it,  my  boy  ? '  '  WelJ, 
mother,  the  fact  is,  that  if  I  could  understand  the 
philosophy  of  it  I  would  look  up  right  off;  but  I 
don't  see  how  a  brass  serpent  away  off  on  a  pole  can 
cure  me.'      And  so  he  dies  in  his  unbelief." 

The  Rev.  D.  Macgregor  reports  of  the  third  Mon- 
day meeting: 

uAt  noon  there  was  a  large  gathering.  We  ob- 
served honored  brethren  from  distant  towns,  who  had 
14 


314  CONVERTS  STEADFAST. 

come  to  see  for  themselves,  and  carry  back  tidings  of 
the  movement.  Brethren  of  the  Episcopal  Church 
are  becoming  numerous.  After  prayer  for  the  nu- 
merous cases  brought  before  us,  Mr.  Moody  made 
some  observations  on  the  subject  of '  Praise,'  insisting 
on  it  as  a  Christian  privilege. 

"  When  the  meeting  was  thrown  open,  testimony 
was  borne  by  various  ministers  and  laymen  to  the 
progress  and  permanency  of  the  work  in  other  places. 
"We  were  especially  pleased  to  have  the  evidence  of  a 
minister  from  York,  who  stated  that  Mr.  Moody  had 
begun  services  in  his  place  of  worship  some  sixteen 
months  before,  when  the  movement  was  yet  but 
small.  About  fifty  converts  had  come  into  connec- 
tion with  his  church,  and,  so  far  as  he  knew,  they  all 
continued  steadfast  in  the  faith,  while  many  of  them 
had  become  centers  of  blessed  influence.  The  like 
testimony  has  come  from  other  quarters;  and  when 
we  now  hear  the  oft-put  question,  '  Will  it  stand  % ' 
we  answer,  'It  has  stood.'  What  if  some  do  fall 
away  ?  that  is  the  case  also  with  those  who  join  our 
churches  in  the  steadiest  times." 

From  the  scriptural  character  of  the  addresses,  and 
the  Bible  readings,  a  new  feature  appeared  in  Man- 


CORBOBIXG  GABE8.  315 

Chester,  and  is  noticed  by  Mr.  Macgregor.  It  recalls 
Glasgow,  where  the  book-stores  were  literally  emptied 
of  Bibles  during  the  meetings  there  : 

"  We  notice  that  many  have  learned  the  habit  of 
bringing  their  Bibles  and  turning  over  the  leaves  to 
find  the  passages.  If  the  Bible  readings  accomplish 
nothing  else  but  familiarizing  many  with  the  daily 
use  of  their  Bibles,  they  will  have  done  much." 

It  would  be  delightful,  if  space  permitted,  to  mul- 
tiply illustrative  incidents.  At  a  meeting,  for  ex- 
ample, a  gentleman  said : 

"  There  are  many  most  delightful  cases  in  this  hall. 
I  should  like  to  relate  one.  I  was  speaking  last  night 
to  those  who  were  inquiring  after  Christ,  up  there  in 
the  gallery.  I  saw  one  workman  sitting  there.  I 
felt  I  did  not  need  to  ask  how  it  was  with  his  soul;  I 
could  see  in  his  beaming  face  how  happy  he  was.  I 
went  up  to  him,  and  said:  'Friend,  have  you  found 
the  Saviour?'  'Yes.'  'How  long  is  it  since?'  'Only 
three  nights  since  I  went  to  the  Free  Trade  Hall,  I 
heard  them  sing,  "Safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus;"  the 
first  verse  I  sung  carelessly  through,  but  when  we 
came  to  the  second  verse — "  Safe  from  corroding 
cares  " — it   struck  me   that   the   people   seemed   in 


316  PRA  TING  FOR  A  FRIEND. 

earnest — that  they  meant  it — I  looked  at  the  verse — 
I  felt  it  was  mockery  for  me  to  sing  that — I  sat  down 
in  great  trouble.  That  night  I  went  home  in  agony. 
Next  morning  I  went  to  my  work,  but  I  had  not  got 
over  the  trouble.  My  shopmates  saw  there  was 
something  up  with  me.  They  asked,  ""What  was  the 
trouble  ?  "  I  told  them,  my  soul !  my  soul !  Two 
nights  after  I  was  no  better,  I  went  again  to  the 
meeting — there  I  heard,  "  I  must  look  to  Christ  and 
Him  alone."  Just  then  I  was  enabled  to  look,  I  went 
home,  rejoicing  in  the  Lord,  a  new  and  happy  man.' 
6  Are  you  waiting  for  a  talk  with  Mr.  Moody  ? '  i  Oh ! 
no,  I  am  just  praying  and  waiting;  I  brought  a  dear 
friend  with  me  to-night,  and  she's  over  there ;  some 
one's  talking  to  her,  and  I  am  praying  God  may  save 
her.'  '  Is  it  your  wile  ? '  '  No,  sir,  I  am  not  married, 
but  it  is  a  dear  friend.'  Here  he  was  watching  and 
praying,  while  she  was  hearing  the  way  of  salvation. 
I  believe  his  prayers  were  answered  last  night." 

Mr.  San  key  said : 

"My  heart  was  moved  last  night  at  the  Young 
Men's  meeting.  I  can  truly  say  that  during  all  my 
wanderings  I  have  never  attended  a  better  meeting 
than  the  one  held  last  night  in  Roby  Chapel — a  more 


TEACHER  AXD  SCHOLAR.  317 

hopeful  and  prayerful  meeting — I  am  looking  for 
great  results  from  that  place.  My  dear  friend,  Mr. 
Drummond,  was  there,  whose  father  you  all  know 
has  done  so  much  work  in  publishing  and  distributing 
tracts  in  Scotland,  and,  I  may  say,  all  over  the  world. 
When  Mr.  Drummond  had  opened  the  meeting,  he 
asked  all  who  had  been  recently  converted  to  rise  and 
tell  it.  Many  stood  up  and  told  what  the  Lord  had 
done  for  their  souls.  Old  men  stood  up,  young  men, 
and  even  boys.  When  we  were  engaged  in  silent 
prayer,  Mr.  Drummond  asked  that  any  who  wished 
prayer  for  themselves,  or  for  friends,  would  just 
stand  up  and  ask  it,  while  the  Christians  were  pray- 
ing. One  by  one  from  all  parts  of  the  chapel  came 
the  requests,  '  pray  for  me,'  '  pray  for  my  soul,'  '  pray 
for  my  father,'  '  for  my  mother,'  *  for  brothers,'  '  for 
sisters,'  '  for  wives.'  Mothers !  fathers !  your  sons 
were  there  in  Roby  Chapel  last  night,  praying  for 
yon,  pleading  for  you.     Won't  you  join  them  ?" 

One  man  asked  prayer  for  one  of  his  Sunday 
scholars,  who  was  there  in  the  meeting — before  the 
meeting  broke  up,  that  lad  had  given  himself  to 
Christ.  A  commercial  traveler  remained  to  the  in- 
quiry-meeting.     He    had   been    at  one  time  super- 


318  IN  THE  WAREHOUSE. 

intendent  of  a  Sabbath-school.  He  had,  however, 
fallen  into  intemperance,  and  had  gone  astray.  "  Now," 
he  said,  "  I  want  to  get  back  to  my  father's  house ;  my 
dear  wife  has  been  praying  for  me.  My  eyes  are 
opened  once  more,  and  I  want  to  cling  to  Jesus ;  He 
will  keep  me  in  His  arms  safe." 

Mr.  Beith  told  of  one  young  man,  in  a  large  ware- 
house in  the  city,  who  had  been  utterly  regardless  of 
divine  things.  ki  However,  he  went,  as  so  many  had 
done,  to  the  meeting,  to  see  what  was  doing.  He 
was  almost  struck  dumb  when  he  heard  Mr.  Moody 
speak.  "Was  this  the  same  gospel  that  he  had  so  often 
heard  preached  ?  Ere  long  he  was  melted,  went  down 
stairs  into  the  inquiry-room ;  there  he  was  spoken  to 
by  a  Christian  minister,  who  pointed  him  to  the  only 
Saviour.  He  was  enabled,  by  God's  grace,  to  accept 
the  offer  of  salvation,  and  went  home  rejoicing.  In 
his  warehouse  there  was  a  large  number  of  young 
men  ;  he  was  determined  to  do  his  duty,  so  he,  in  a 
frank,  manly  way  told  of  the  great  change  he  had  ex- 
perienced. He  induced  some  of  his  fellows  to  come 
to  the  evening  meeting  along  with  him.  And  before 
three  days  there  were  eleven  converted  young  men 
in  that  warehouse.     These  have  now  formed  them- 


THE  WINE-MERCHANT.  319 

selves  into  a  praying  band,  for  the  other  young  men 
in  that  warehouse." 

Rev.  Dr.  Garrett  (Episcopal)  said,  "  It  does  cheer 
my  heart  to  hear  of  the  work  that  has  been  doing  here 
yesterday.  I  and  many  other  ministers  have  our  own 
work  on  Sundays,  so  that  we  cannot  possibly  be  pres- 
ent in  your  meetings.  But  I  wish  to  tell  of  the  good 
result  I  have  seen  in  my  own  district,  a  quiet  part  of 
Manchester.  There  has  been,  I  find,  a  great  blessing 
both  in  my  congregation  and  in  my  Sabbath-schools. 
I  wish  also  to  mention  one  incident  which  will  illus- 
trate the  Christian  unity  springing  up  amongst  min- 
isters of  the  various  denominations,  and  also  the  good 
which  is  sure  to  flow  from  that  unity. 

The  Wine-Merchant  and  his  Wife. 

"Atone  of  your  inquiry-meetings  I  met  a  minister  I 
had  not  known  previously.  I  do  not  even  yet  know 
to  what  denomination  he  belongs.  He  was  that  night 
talking  to  a  lady  who  was  in  terrible  distress  about 
her  soul ;  her  husband  was  engaged  in  the  wine  trade 
and  had  beendrawn  gradually  into  the  habit  of  drink- 
ing with  his  customers,  so  that  if  he  had  many  bar- 
gains to  strike  in  the  course  of  the  day,  he  was  sure 


320  TEE  MILL-GIRLS. 

to  come  reeling  home  at  night,  deluged  with  this 
poison.  For  twelve  months,  before  coming  to  jour 
meetings,  she  had  never  entered  a  church  door.  She 
was,  however,  here  awakened,  and  led  to  Jesus. 
Anxiety  was  then  awakened  in  her  heart  for  the  sal- 
vation of  her  husband,  upon  whom  she  wished  that 
minister  to  call,  but  as  he  lived  at  a  great  distance 
from  her  house,  he  promised  to  get  some  one  else  to 
do  so.  Having  observed  me  at  the  meeting,  and 
knowing  that  she  was  in  my  district,  he  wrote  to  ask 
me  to  see  her. 

"  I  called  on  Christmas  eve  ;  and  spent  one  of  the 
happiest  hours  I  have  ever  known  in  her  house.  She 
is  now  rejoicing  in  the  Saviour,  and  her  husband  told 
me  that  he  has  resolved  to  give  up  the  wine  trade, 
and  trust  in  the  Lord  to  open  up  to  him  some  other 
path  of  life.  Yesterday  they  were  both  in  my  church, 
and  I  firmly  believe  that  these  two  have  been  led  to 
the  feet  of  Jesus." 

Mr.  C.  A.  Davis  said,  "  I  wish  to  speak  of  the  mill- 
girls.  Last  night  three  of  these  girls  were  led  to  trust 
in  Christ.  One  of  them  said  to  me,  '  Oh,  sir,  a  girl 
cannot  be  good  in  a  mill.'  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  it 
is  difficult,  there  are  so  many  temptations,  and  so 


WANTED— A  GUIDE.  321 

many  evil  companions.  But  here  is  an  encouraging 
letter  I  have  received  this  morning  from  a  mill-girl 
who  was  converted  a  week  since.  She  says  that  she 
has  been  enabled  to  tell  her  co-workers  of  the  change 
she  has  experienced,  and  the  result  of  her  faithful 
witnessing  is  that  ten  of  her  companions  in  that  mill 
have  been  impressed,  and  are  coming  with  her  to  the 
meeting  to-night.  She  concludes  by  asking  our 
prayers  that  these  girls  may  be  converted." 

A  middle-aged  man  rose  and  said  :  "  Last  night 
(Sunday)  as  you  are  all  aware,  was  very  thick  and 
foggy.  I  was  on  my  way  into  Manchester  from  a 
neighboring  village  (I  may  say  that  I  am  a  stranger 
here),  and  I  happened  to  take  the  wrong  turning  in  the 
road,  and  very  soon,  without  being  aware  of  it,  I  was 
on  my  way  to  Bolton.  After  I  had  walked  some  dis- 
tance, I  saw  a  gentleman  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
road,  and  I  thought  I  would  just  ask  him  if  I  was 
going  right.  'Am  I  on  the  road  to  Manchester  ? '  He 
crossed  the  road  towards  me,  and  said,  '  Do  you  wish 
to  reach  Manchester  to-night,'  I  said  '  Yes,'  '  Well  you 
are  going  directly  from  it :  your  back  is  turned  to  the 
city  ;  but  I  am  going  there,  and  will  show  you  the 
way.'  I  was  very  glad  to  accompany  him.  Then  all 
14* 


322  A  G  UIDE  FO  UND. 


at  once  he  began  to  ask  me  questions,  which  I  thought 
were  very  impertinent.  '  Was  I  a  Christian  ? '  and 
so  on.  I  said  nothing,  however,  as  I  did  not  want  to 
have  him  leave  me.  By-and-by  I  began  to  like  his 
talk,  and  by  the  time  we  reached  the  city,  we  were 
very  friendly.  i  Have  you  ever  heard  of  Mr.  Moody  ? ' 
he  said.  '  Oh,  yes,  often,  they're  building  a  large 
wooden  hall  for  them  in  Liverpool,  where  I  come 
from.'  '  Well,  I  am  going  to  one  of  his  meetings, 
will  you  go?'  'No.'  '  Oh,  do  come  in  just  to  hear 
him.'  Well,  I  didn't  like  to  refuse  and  went  with 
him ;  when  we  got  into  the  hall,  Mr.  Moody  was 
thundering  out  the  words,  '  Whosoever  will  let  him 
come.'  I  wondered  if  this  could  mean  me.  How- 
ever, I  came  away  when  the  meeting  was  over.  As 
I  walked  away  with  Mr.  Bell  (that  I  found  was  the 
gentleman's  name),  I  could  not  resist  any  longer,  and 
I  broke  out,  '  Can  Christ  save  me — such  an  one  as  I 
am  ? '  '  Oh,  yes,'  said  he,  '  Whosoever  believeth  in 
Christ  shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life ' 
(John  iii.).  We  had  some  more  talk,  and  I  bless  the 
Lord  that  He  has  now  opened  my  eyes  to  see  that  not 
only  is  He  able  and  willing,  but  that  He  has  saved  me." 
At  a  public  meeting  James  C.  Stuart,  Esq.,  Treas- 


BUILDING  FOR  YOUNG  MEN.  323 

urer  of  the  Committee  for  Manchester,  stated  the 
amount  of  expenses  to  be  provided  for  by  the  friends 
in  the  city. 

"  So  far  as  he  could  judge,  the  expenses  of  the 
movement  would  be  about  £2,000.  He  wished  it  to 
be  made  public  that  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  re- 
ceived no  money  from  the  committee.  The  sum 
named  was  for  the  rent  of  halls,  printing,  and  such 
like  expenses." 

At  a  later  meeting  Mr.  Stuart  *  reported  :  "  At  a 
meeting,  held  last  night,  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  decided  to  purchase  the  block  of  build- 
ings adjacent  to  the  Theater  Royal  for  the  sum  of 
£30,000.  "Will  you  not  help  us  to  raise  this  money 
before  the  close  of  the  year  ?  I  feel  all  the  more 
hopeful  in  this  matter,  as  we  have  Mr.  Moody  at  our 
back,  and  he  has  promised  to  assist  us,  and  make  an 
appeal  for  us.  I  may  add  that  the  building  will  be 
used  for  the  men's  meeting  to-night." 

The  tide  of  feeling  rose  and  spread.  Salford,  and 
other  places  in  the  neighborhood  were  as  it  was  ex- 

*Mr.  James  C.  Stuart  is  the  nephew  of  one  of  the  Editors  of 
this  Volume,  and  a  banker  in  Manchester.  His  co-operation  has 
been  given  in  Manchester,  Liverpool,  and  London. 


324  THE  "  Y.  M.  C.  A.' 


pressed,  "  on  fire,"  and  it  was  greatly  regretted  when 
the  time  of  the  evangelists  expired.  The  close  is 
thus  described : 

"  The  closing  week  has  been  the  most  joyful  of  all. 
The  tide  of  blessing,  which  has  been  steadily  rising,  has 
this  week  reached  its  flood ;  the  earnestness  of  the 
preacher  and  the  eagerness  of  the  people  have  seemed 
alike  to  intensify,  and  the  unconverted  have  been  called 
to  take  refuge  in  Christ  with  a  vehemence  of  entreaty 
which  has  exerted  a  mighty  influence  on  the  assem- 
blies. During  these  five  weeks  God  has  answered 
the  prayers  of  many  years,  and  we  cannot  but  feel 
that  what  has  been  going  on  in  the  city  has  made  Man- 
chester peculiarly  interesting  to  the  dwellers  in  heaven. 

"  At  nine  on  Wednesday  evening,  about  two  thou- 
sand men  reassembled  in  the  hall,  to  hear  what  Mr. 
Moody  had  to  say  on  the  subject  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association.  Mr.  Herbert  Spencer  occu- 
pied the  chair,  and  gave  a  brief  address,  intimating 
that  it  was  in  contemplation  to  buy  the  Museum  for 
the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  for  £30,000. 
Mr.  Moody  delivered  an  inspiring  harangue,  in  which 
he  enlarged  on  the  spiritual  advantages  of  the  Asso- 
ciation, and  urged   the  straining  of  every  effort  to 


A  HAPPY  TEAR.  325 


reach  the  young  men  of  Manchester,  and  to  secure 
the  building  in  question  for  the  Association.  A  col- 
lection towards  the  object,  made  at  the  close,  realized 
£1,S00,  £1,000  of  which  was  given,  I  believe,  by  the 
chairman.  This  amount,  with  former  contributions, 
including  £5,000  given  last  week  by  Mr.  J.  Stuart, 
makes  £8,000  * 

"  On  Thursday  morning  Mr.  Moody  addressed  a 
crowded  meeting  in  the  Higher  Broughton  Presby- 
terian Church,  and  then  came  on  to  the  noon  prayer- 
meeting  in  the  Oxford  Hall,  where  he  read  and  com- 
mented on  the  earlier  part  of  the  103d  Psalm.  He 
said  he  had  to  bless  the  Lord  for  what  He  had  done 
for  him.  It  had  been  the  best  year  of  his  life.  He 
had  been  more  used  by  God  than  in  all  the  seventeen 
preceding  years.  He  did  not  know  of  one  sermon 
he  had  delivered,  that  had  not  been  blessed  to  the 
conviction  or  conversion  of  some  souls.  It  was  a  de- 
lightful meeting.  Every  word  uttered  was  set  to  the 
tune  of  '  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul ! '  When  one 
minister  rose  to  say, '  I  have  to  praise  God  for  the 
conversion  of  the  brother  of  dear  friends  of  mine, 
who  have  prayed  for  him  twenty-five  years ;  for  the 

*  More  than  the  amount  has  since  been  raised. 


326  SHEFFIELD. 


conversion  of  the  sister  and  of  the  servant  of  another 
friend ;  for  the  salvation  of  three  persons  in  my 
own  congregation  ;  for  the  dispelling  of  the  doubts 
of  a  young  man  who  traveled  one  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  to  these  meetings — all  which  blessings 
have  been  given  in  the  course  of  the  present  week  ; ' 
when  another  minister  rose  to  say  he  had  never  met 
with  so  much  of  scriptural  teaching  concerning  the 
way  of  salvation,  and  the  clear  direction  of  inquirers 
to  Jesus,  as  in  Mr.  Moody's  addresses ;  and  another 
to  say  that  the  last  ten  days  had  been  the  happiest  of 
his  life — that  he  had  derived  an  inspiration,  had  dis- 
covered how  to  preach  Christ,  had  enjoyed  sweeter 
communion  with  Jesus,  and  felt  like  a  man  whose 
chains  were  broken  ; — they  only  uttered  what  many 
could  have  endorsed,  as  a  description  of  the  blessings 
they  themselves  had  received." 

Promising,  God  willing,  to  make  a  visit  in  January, 
they  left  for  Sheffield. 

Sheffield  contains  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
inhabitants.  It  has  had  among  its  skilled  artizans  a 
considerable  number  of  free-thinkers,  and  its  religious 
statistics  are  not  favorable. 

Three  years  ago  there  was  a  general  "  mission " 


UNA CGO  UNTABLE  INTEREST.  327 

throughout  the  town,  chiefly  conducted  by  clergymen 
of  the  Church  of  England,  with  the  mission  preacher, 
the  Rev.  R.  Aitken  (then  a  veteran  in  the  cause)  at 
their  head,  with  good  results.  Lay  evangelists  were 
called  in,  among  others,  Lord  Radstock,  Mr.  Robert 
Baxter,  and  Mr.  Xeville  Sherbrooke. 

The  correspondent  of  the  Daily  Review  (and  we 
are  glad  to  avail  ourselves  of  the  side-lights  of  the 
secular  press)  thus  describes  the  state  of  feeling  in 
Sheffield,  during  that  first  week  of  January,  1875 — 
the  week  of  prayer  throughout  Protestant  Christen- 
dom : 

"  Sheffield  is  being  greatly  stirred  by  the  revival 
services  of  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey.  They  are  at 
present  the  subject  of  conversation  in  families,  offices, 
workshops,  and  factories.  The  merits  and  demerits  of 
the  American  evangelists  are  keenly  discussed  by 
excited  groups  at  the  corners  of  streets,  and  the  op- 
ponents of  the  movement  attribute  its  success  to 
vulgar  curiosity,  sensational  advertising,  and  press 
exaggeration.  Meanwhile  the  meetings  in  connec- 
tion with  the  movement  are  on  the  increase.  The 
numbers  seeking  admission  to  them  are  beyond  all 
precedent  in  Sheffield.     The  admission  to  the  mass- 


328  A  DYING  MAN'S  WANTS. 

meeting  last  night  was  by  ticket,  and  it  was  found 
necessary  to  engage  an  additional  hall,  capable  of  ac- 
commodating two  thousand  persons.  The  average 
attendance  at  each  of  the  four  meetings  held  in 
the  Albert  Hall  yesterday  may  be  stated  at  two  thou- 
sand five  hundred — total,  ten  thousand.  Thirty  re- 
quests for  the  prayers  of  the  noon  meeting  were 
read.  They  were  from  persons  in  all  stages  of  life 
and  grades  of  society.  Mr.  Moody  stated  that  many 
more  had  been  received,  too  late  for  arrangement, 
which  would  have  to  be  deferred  till  next  day.  The 
Yicar  of  Sheffield  made  a  touching  appeal  on  behalf 
of  a  dying  man,  from  whose  bedside  he  had  just 
come.  This  man,  he  said,  had  never  heard  of  Jesus 
till  the  previous  day.  Such  a  crowd  of  earnest  listen- 
ers as  attended  Mr.  Moody's  Bible  lecture  on  '  Salva- 
tion by  Blood '  was  perhaps  never  before  witnessed  in 
any  assembly  hall  in  Sheffield.  Mr.  Moody  proposed 
at  the  mass-meeting  for  men,  that  similar  meetings 
should  be  instituted,  to  be  held  every  night  in  tem- 
perance halls.  He  asked  all  approving  the  proposal 
to  stand  up,  and  nearly  the  whole  assembly  respond- 
ed." 

On  Thursday  the  demands  for  admission  became 


QUIET  ORDER  SECURED.  329 

so  numerous,  that  the  committee  restricted  the  ad- 
mission by  tickets,  and  had  the  hall-doors  closed  as 
soon  as  the  hall  was  filled.  A  long  list  of  requests 
for  the  prayers  of  the  noon  meeting  was  read  previous 
to  the  commencement  of  the  service,  and  it  was 
again  intimated  that  it  had  been  found  impossible  to 
arrange  nearly  all  sent  in.  A  new  feature  was,  that 
many  persons  desired  to  return  thanks  for  their  con- 
version through  these  meetings.  Mr.  Moody,  in  a 
brief  address  from  the  words,  "  Declare  His  doings 
among  the  people,"  referred  to  recent  accounts  of 
their  work  in  Dublin,  Glasgow,  and  Manchester. 
These  were  remarkable  for  their  mention  of  the  great 
number  of  young  men  who  had  become  converts,  and 
devoted  themselves  to  Christian  work.  He  affirmed 
that  none  of  their  public  services  had  been  followed 
by  more  gratifying  assurances  than  last  night's  mass- 
meeting  for  men.  Half  an  hour  before  the  Bible 
lecture  the  hall  was  filled,  the  doors  shut,  and  many 
hundreds  left  standing  around  the  entrances.  It  was 
reported  that  many  of  those  at  the  noon  meeting  had 
remained  in  their  seats.  Mr.  Moody  illustrated  the 
Bible  lecture  by  some  of  the  most  touching  anecdotes 
and  appeals ;  but  happily  he  repressed  the  distracting 


330  MEN  ONLY. 


exclamations  which  were  frequent  among  his  early 
audiences  here.  When  he  requested  a  few  minutes' 
silent  prayer,  a  stillness  as  of  death  fell  on  the  vast 
assembly.  Many  hundreds  had  to  be  denied  admis- 
sion to  the  evening  meeting,  at  which  Mr.  Moody 
gave  a  very  impressive  address  from  the  words,  "  Son, 
remember."  Two  other  meetings — one  for  men,  an- 
other for  women — were  held  elsewhere.  The  total 
attendance  at  the  meetings  that  day  was  about  twelve 
thousand. 

On  Friday,  Mr.  Moody  having  gone  to  Manchester, 
the  prayer-meeting  was  presided  over  by  the  Rev. 
Rowley  Hill,  Yicar  of  Sheffield,  and  participated  in 
by  other  clergymen.  Several  laymen  also  took  part 
in  the  proceedings.  Forty  requests  for  prayer  were 
sent  in  by  letters  and  telegrams.  The  evening  meet- 
ing was  presided  over  by  the  Rev.  Robert  Stainton, 
Independent  minister,  and  addresses  bearing  on  reli- 
gious work  were  delivered  by  ministers  of  all  de- 
nominations. A  meeting  for  men  only  took  place  at 
a  later  hour  in  the  Temperance  Hall,  and  was  largely 
attended.  The  singing  was  conducted  by  Mr.  San- 
key,  who  rendered,  with  much  effect,  some  of  his  most 
touching  solos. 


HOW  TO  ADDRESS  CHILDREN.  331 

Rain  having  fallen  heavily  all  forenoon,  the  chil- 
dren's  meeting  at  midday  on  Saturday,  the  9th,  was 
not  quite  so  largely  attended  as  had  been  anticipated. 
About  one  hundred  adults  were  present.  Mr.  San- 
key  presided,  and  in  his  opening  address  gave  an 
interesting  account  of  the  children's  meetings  in 
Edinburgh.  He  deprecated  lengthy  addresses  to 
children.  His  experience  was,  that  such  meetings 
could  be  made  attractive  to  children  by  brief,  simple 
discourses  from  several  speakers,  along  with  the  sing- 
ing of  hymns  in  which  the  children  could  intelligently 
join.  Addresses  were  also  given  by  the  Yicar  and 
other  speakers,  among  whom  was  Mr.  Drummond 
from  Edinburgh,  a  young  man  already  well  known 
in  connection  with  the  present  revival  movement. 
In  closing  the  meeting,  Mr.  Sankey  made  a  touching 
allusion  to  his  approaching  departure,  that  being  in 
all  probability  the  last  children's  meeting  he  would 
ever  address  in  Sheffield.  The  evening  meeting  was 
crowded,  and  many  hundreds  were  denied  admission. 
Mr.  Moody  spoke  from  the  words,  "  He  was  wounded 
for  our  transgressions,"  etc.,  and  the  picture  he  pre- 
sented of  Christ's  death  drew  tears  from  hundreds. 
"When  he  spoke  of  the  resurrection,  the  enthusiasm 


332  THE  LOWEST  STB  A  TUM. 

became  irrepressible ;  it  broke  out  in  every  part  of 
the  hall.  On  the  conclusion  of  the  service,  hundreds 
went  to  the  inquiry  room.  A  meeting  for  men  was 
held  in  the  Temperance  Hall,  which  was  crowded. 
This  meeting  was  addressed  by  Mr.  Drummond  and 
others.  The  excitement  and  enthusiasm  have  not 
been  so  high  in  Sheffield  before.  Mingling  in  the 
crowd,  one  hears  Mr.  Moody  compared  to  Paul  on 
Mars'  Hill.  The  attendance  up  to  Saturday  night 
reached  sixty-eight  thousand. 

Four  meetings  were  held  in  the  Albert  Hall  on 
Sunday  the  10th.  The  first,  for  Christian  workers,  at 
eight  o'clock,  was  well  attended.  It  would  probably 
have  been  crowded,  but  a  thick  drizzling  rain,  which 
continued  most  of  the  day,  kept  many  at  home.  A 
service  for  those  who  do  not  usually  attend  any 
church  or  chapel  took  place  at  eleven  o'clock.  The 
hall  was  filled,  but  not  quite  by  the  class  for  whom 
the  service  was  intended.  Strenuous  efforts  had  been 
put  forth  amongst  the  denizens  of  the  slums  to  awak- 
en their  interest  in  the  movement.  Hundreds  on 
hundreds  of  tickets  were  given  away  amongst  them, 
and  expectations  were  entertained  that  they  would 
attend  in  large  numbers;  but  a  cursory  glance  was 


FINAL  MEETINGS.  333 

sufficient  to  convince  the  practised  observer  that  the 
audience  did  not  differ  in  any  perceptible  degree  from 
former  audiences.  Many  new  faces  were  to  be  seen, 
but  they  were  those  of  decent,  orderly  working-peo- 
ple, or  visitors  from  the  rural  districts — not  the  besot- 
ted countenances  of  the  residents  of  the  slums.  A 
meeting  for  women  only  was  announced  for  three 
o'clock,  but  by  half-past  two  the  hall  was  crammed  to 
suffocation,  and  the  wide  street  in  front  was  blocked 
with  a  crowd  of  both  sexes.  Every  means  of  persua- 
sion was  tried  to  induce  those  who  were  crushed  out 
to  go  and  listen  to  other  speakers  elsewhere,  but  in 
vain — they  would  hear  none  but  Mr.  Moody.  Final- 
ly, Mr.  Moody  left  the  Albert  Hall,  and  addressed 
the  people  assembled,  to  the  number  of  many  thou- 
sands, in  the  parish  churchyard,  situated  in  the  cen- 
ter of  the  town.  Similarly  the  hall  was  crammed, 
and  thousands  denied  admission,  an  hour  before  the 
commencement  of  the  evening  service. 

The  interest  and  the  numbers  grew  as  the  days  of 
the  second  week  passed,  till  the  sixteenth,  when  final 
services,  four  in  number,  one  of  them  being  for  con- 
verts to  the  number  of  about  six  hundred,  the  fruit  of 
the  fortnight's  labor. 


334  THE  WORLD'S  TOYSHOP. 

To  the  value  of  the  work  in  Sheffield,  testimony 
was  borne  by  the  Yicar  (the  Rev.  Rowley  Hill, 
M.  A.) : 

"I  rejoice  that  God  has  put  it  into  the  hearts  of 
those  two  evangelists  to  come  and  visit  Sheffield. 
We  wanted  a  good  stirring  up  from  end  to  end  in 
this  town,  and  there  is  nothing  that  more  delights 
my  heart  than  to  have  people  brought  under  the 
sound  of  the  Gospel.  A  great  number  of  people  who 
do  not  go  to  church  or  chapel  have  been  stirred  up 
by  these  men,  and  I  trust  very  great  blessing  will  re- 
sult from  it.  All  I  have  heard  fall  from  the  lips  of 
Mr.  Moody,  or  sung  by  Mr.  Sankey,  was  really  re- 
freshing to  one's  soul.  No  doubt  we  shall  always 
have  starchy,  stiff  kind  of  people  who  don't  Mike 
that  sort  of  thing ; '  but  when  a  man  preaches  the 
Gospel,  when  a  man  is  seen  doing  the  work  of  God, 
and  when  there  can  be  little  doubt  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
working  with  him,  it  is  a  solemn  thing  to  do  any- 
thing as  gainsaying  that  work,  or  do  anything  to  op- 
pose or  hinder  it." 

From  Sheffield  the  American  brethren  proceeded 
to  Birmingham — "  the  toyshop  of  the  world  "  as  it  has 
been  called,  with  a  population  of  four  hundred  thou- 


REV.  H.   W.  DALE.  335 

sand.  Of  the  first  week's  work  there,  a  writer  in  the 
Signs  of  the  Times  reports  : 

"  The  audiences  are  very  much  larger  than  at  Man- 
chester ;  and  the  city  is  moved  to  a  much  greater  ex- 
tent. The  noon-day  meetings  in  the  Town  Hall  are 
attended  by  three  to  four  thousand  people,  and  the 
evening  meetings  in  the  Bingley  Hall  by  ten  thou- 
sand to  fifteen  thousand. 

"  One  cause  that  has  undoubtedly  conduced  to  this 
result  is  the  prominence  given  by  the  Birmingham 
newspapers  to  reports  of  the  meetings.  Two  or  three 
columns  have  been  given  by  some  of  the  local  papers 
every  day,  furnishing  accounts  of  the  proceedings, 
whereas  in  Manchester  the  Press  took  little  or  no  notice 
of  the  movement.  Another  cause  is,  that  many  of  the 
local  clergymen  of  the  Church  of  England  have  taken 
a  leading  part  in  the  movement  at  Birmingham." 

Prominent  among  the  ministers  who  stood  by  the 
evangelists  in  Birmingham,  was  the  Rev.  R.  W. 
Dale,  successor  to  the  pulpit  of  the  well-known  John 
Angel  James,  author  of  the  "Anxious  Enquirer, "  and 
who  for  a  long  life-time  preached  and  lived  the  truth 
in  the  city. 

AVe  shall  allow  the  Birmingham  Morning  News 


336  WHA  T  DOES  IT  MEAN? 

to  convey  the  impression  the  evangelists  made  on 
the  community.  One  does  not  look  for  the  report  of 
the  spiritual  results  in  a  secular  paper : 

"  Unheralded,  and  comparatively  unknown,  Messrs. 
Moody  and  Sankey  came  to  England,  without  any 
new  creed  or  sectarian  formula,  and  straightway  be- 
gan a  work  which  gathers  power  and  force  as  it  goes 
on.  On  a  dull,  raw,  and  inclement  Sunday  morning 
in  January,  such  is  the  unseen  magic  of  their  names, 
that  they  can  crowd  a  large  hall  in  the  center  of  a 
practical,  industrial  town  with  worshipers  at  an  hour 
which  would  be  considered  early  even  on  a  week-day. 
That  same  evening  they  attract  to  a  still  larger  edifice 
crowds  which  would  be  almost  unusual  in  a  period  of 
intense  national  excitement.  Again  at  noon-day,  at 
a  time  when  the  bench  and  the  desk  chain  their 
workers  with  the  strongest  bonds,  thousands  after 
thousands  throng  to  meet  them  at  the  prayer-meeting 
until  the  Town  Hall  presents  the  appearance  of  a 
gigantic  bee-hive,  swarming  with  masses  of  people,  to 
whom  it  is  evident  there  must  be  some  strong  induce- 
ment thus  to  forsake  the  ordinary  routine  of  their 
lives. 

"  Kor  does  the  story  close  here.     In  the  evenings 


A  T  BINGLEY  HALL.  337 

at  Bingley  Hall  is  gathered  together  an  assembly 
which  equals  the  population  of  many  towns,  and  a 
degree  of  enthusiasm  manifested  which  promises  to 
increase  the  numbers  present  at  every  succeeding 
meeting.  A  small  harmonium,  a  few  simple  hymns, 
and  short,  stirring  addresses  on  religious  topics  com- 
prise all  that  the  public  see  or  hear.  Yet  the  influ- 
ence of  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  is  overwhelming ; 
and  although  it  may  be  almost  too  soon  to  speak  defi- 
nitely of  the  permanent  results  of  their  labors  in 
1  evangelizing  the  masses,'  it  is  not  too  much  to  say 
that  in  numberless  instances  they  have  evoked  a  state 
of  anxious  inquiry  with  regard  to  the  future  in  minds 
which  ordinary  religious  services  failed  to  arouse." 

Then  follows  a  description  of  the  men,  not  how- 
ever required  by  our  readers,  interested  particularly 
in  knowing  what  manner  of  work  they  appeared  to 
do.     The  News  proceeds  : 

"Entering  Bingley  Hall,  between  four  and  five 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  visitor  sees  a  wide  wilder- 
ness of  chairs.  Although  it  is  more  than  three  hours 
to  the  commencement  of  the  service,  groups  of  intend- 
ing hearers  are  scattered  about  the  building,  some 
sitting  meditatively  quiet,  reading  hymn-books  or 
15 


338  THE  VOICE  OF  PRAISE. 

Bibles,  others  holding  subdued  discussions  upon  re- 
vival themes.  In  the  galleries  are  temporary  stands, 
which  make  the  hall  a  sort  of  oblong  amphitheater,  the 
speakers'  platform  being  on  one  of  the  sides.  The 
abundant  use  of  crimson  cloth  in  draping  the  stands 
has  given  a  very  comfortable  aspect  to  what  is,  per- 
haps, in  its  normal  state  one  of  the  dreariest-looking 
public  buildings  in  the  Midland  Counties.  As  the 
hours  wear  on,  small  groups  of  people  are,  by  a  wise 
arrangement,  admitted  as  they  assemble  at  the  doors, 
and  thus  crowding  and  crushing  at  the  entrances  in  a 
great  measure  are  obviated.  Suddenly,  from  some 
part  of  the  assembling  mass,  is  heard  the  beginning 
of  a  hymn.  As  fresh  comers  enter,  the  strains  are 
taken  up,  and  the  effect  in  the  empty  aud  resonant 
space  is  singularly  impressive.  Hank  after  rank  of 
the  silent  sitting  crowds  take  up  the  melody,  until  it 
fairly  rolls  through  the  building.  The  greatest  favor- 
ite seems  the  hymn  '  Hold  the  Fort.'  Singing  this 
and  other  hymns,  crowds  of  people  continue  to  pour 
in  until  the  hall  is  filled,  ten  thousand  chairs  being 
occupied.  Round  the  galleries,  too,  is  a  thick  fringe 
of  human  faces,  and  the  hall  seems  to  be  from  one 
end  to  the  other  literally  packed  with  human  beings. 


PRACTICAL  WISDOM.  339 

"  The  Gospel  addresses  delivered  every  evening  to 
these  vast  audiences  by  Mr.  Moody  have  their  effect, 
heightened  by  the  hymns  and  solos  of  Mr.  Sankey. 
In  his  discourses  Mr.  Moody  evidently  knows  the 
power  of  describing  home-life,  both  scriptural  and 
modern,  with  all  its  pathetic  touches.  Relating  now 
some  of  his  own  American  experiences,  or  again,  inci- 
dents of  his  stay  in  England  or  Dublin,  he  charges 
home  upon  his  hearers  the  lessons  he  wishes  learnt. 
Now  and  again  he  moves  many  persons  in  the 
audience  to  tears  by  a  homely  expression  so  entirely 
spontaneous  and  unstilted  that  it  carries  every  one 
with  it.  And  when,  after  the  sermon  and  a  period  for 
silent  prayer,  the  preacher  exhorts  those  who  '  really 
would  like  to  be  Christians  to  go  right  to  the  Pres- 
byterian Church,'  where  he  would  meet  them,  and 
between  two  and  three  hundred  persons  obey  the  call, 
it  cannot  but  be  doubted  that  Mr.  Moody's  oratory, 
whatever  its  excellence  or  defects,  can  produce  results 
Which  are  unusually  and  significantly  powerful." 

Of  Bingley  Hall,  a  correspondent  of  the  Christian 
shrewdly  says  (and  the  hint  is  worth  the  consideration 
of  all  who  desire  moral  and  spiritual  results) :  "  It  has 
been  provided  with  nine  thousand  chairs.     They  were 


34-0  THE  CONVENTION. 


hired  for  a  fortnight,  at  a  cost  of  seven  pence  per 
chair,  including  fixing  and  removal.  It  may  seem 
incongruous  to  say  that  a  person  is  more  likely  to  be 
converted  in  a  chair  than  on  a  seat  without  a  back,  but 
this  is  really  so,  for  if  he  be  sitting  in  an  uncomforta- 
ble position,  it  is  impossible  that  he  should  pay  the  same 
attention,  or  yield  himself  to  the  influences  around  him 
in  the  same  degree,  that  he  would  if  his  attention 
were  not  distracted  by  his  physical  discomfort. 

"  Not  a  sound  of  footsteps  is  heard,  for  the  floors  of 
the  galleries,  as  well  as  of  the  area,  have  been  laid 
with  sawdust.  The  noiselessness  consequent  upon 
the  arrangement  is  not  a  mere  negative  advantage, 
for  the  unusual  stillness  in  so  vast  a  throng  adds  won- 
derfully to  the  solemnity  of  the  audience." 

The  "  Convention,"  as  at  Inverness,  Dublin,  and 
elsewhere,  wound  up  the  Birmingham  services.  The 
Rev.  Newman  Hall,  from  London,  the  Rev.  W.  Flem- 
ing Stevenson,  from  Dublin,  and  many  strangers,  took 
part,  and  made  addresses. 

It  was  held  in  Bingley  Hall.  Mr.  Moody  presided 
all  day.  It  was  a  great  meeting  in  every  sense  of  the 
term.  The  audience  numbered  from  ^.yq  thousand  to 
six  thousand. 


RESULTS  TO  CHRISTIANS.  341 

The  attendance  of  ministers  of  all  denominations, 
from  all  parts,  was  very  large.  The  results  of  the 
services  are  thus  summed  up  by  an  intelligent  ob- 
server : 

"  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  have  finished  their 
term  here,  and  retire  for  a  week  to  rest,  before  they 
enter  on  their  engagements  in  Liverpool.  The  last 
three  days  have  certainly  been  the  most  impressive  we 
have  had.  Evidently  the  Lord  has  been  on  the 
scene.  If  we  don't  take  that  view  of  the  unparalleled 
movement  in  the  history  of  Birmingham,  we  are  even 
at  a  greater  loss  to  account  for  it  than  the  world  itself. 
That  there  will  be  much  that  will  pass  away  with 
the  men  as  they  go  will  prove  nothing  against  those 
who  stand,  and  will  be  nothing  worse  than  what  hap- 
pened in  our  Saviour's  time,  when  '  many  went  back, 
and  walked  no  more  with  Him.'  But,  separating  the 
chaff  from  the  wheat,  we  have  these  four  great  bless- 
ings left : 

"  1st.  Christians  have  learned  to  love  one  another, 
and  work  together  for  one  common  object — the  salva- 
tion of  souls. 

"  2d.  A  great  quickening  of  the  divine  life  in  the 
souls  of  believers.     We  have  learned  to  pray  more,  to 


342  FAREWELL  VISIT. 

watch  more  closely,  to  work  more  earnestly  for 
God. 

"  3d.  Many  souls  have  been  converted  of  whom  there 
is  no  doubt.  Their  works  bear  witness  that  they  are 
born  of  God. 

"4th.  Yast  numbers  have  heard  the  word,  who, 
although  they  have  not  yet  found  the  Lord,  may  be 
led  to  think,  to  believe,  to  praise  God  for  his  salva- 
tion. 

"  May  our  hearts  be  tuned  to  sing  the  praise  of  our 
dear  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  yield  to  Him  the  full 
tribute  of  affectionate  service  ! 

"  Mr.  Moody  speaks  in  high  terms  of  the  committee 
that  arranged  for  him  aud  assisted  him  here,  of  the 
building  where  he  preached,  and  the  orderly  character 
of  the  congregations." 

A  visit  was  made  on  Friday,  February  5  th,  to  say 
farewell  to  those  who  had  received  spiritual  life,  as 
they  hoped,  during  the  fortnight's  mission.  At  the 
service  held  in  Bingley  Hall,  about  fifteen  thousand 
persons  were  present.  Seats  were  railed  off  for  those 
who  had  been  converted,  and  every  one  of  them  was 
filled,  admission  to  that  part  of  the  hall  being  by 
ticket.     Mr.  Moody  addressed  himself  chiefly  to  the 


LIVERPOOL.  343 


converts,  and  the  service  was  concluded  by  a  hymn  of 
farewell,  sung  by  Mr.  Sankey.  Great  emotion  was 
exhibited  by  the  audience.* 

In  Liverpool. 

These  eminent  evangelists  commenced  their  labors 
in  Liverpool  on  Sabbath  morning,  7th  February,  un- 
der the  most  encouraging  circumstances.  The  ser- 
vices were  well  attended — thousands  were  excluded 
from  the  afternoon  and  evening  meetings  from  want 
of  accommodation.  The  people  listened  with  intense 
earnestness.  The  meetings  were  held  in  the  Victoria 
Hall — the  new  building  specially  constructed-  for  the 
puq)ose  being  so  named.  It  is  entirely  of  wood,  and 
has  cost  about  £4,000,  a  large  sum  for  a  building 
that  was  only  to  be  used  for  a  month,  and  taken 
down  at  the  end  of  that  time. 

"It  affords  accommodation  to  about  8,000  persons, 
exclusive  of  platform  seats.     It  is  lighted  by  eighty- 

*  Up  to  this  point  the  Editors  have  enjoyed,  and  gratefully 
ackno%vledge  the  valuable  aid  of  the  Rev.  I.  S.  Woodside,  whose 
earnest  labors  in  Northern  India  have  been  greatly  blessed  of 
and  whose  season  of  much-needed  rest  in  this  country  has 
been  varied  by  not  a  few  useful  labors.  May  he  be  permitted  to 
see  in  his  chosen  field  similar  religious  awakening  1 


344  THE  VICTORIA  HALL. 

three  windows,  and  there  are  no  less  than  twenty 
doors  for  exit,  all  opening  outwards.  There  are  five 
staircases  for  the  gallery.  Yery  complete  arrange- 
ments have  been  made  for  lighting  and  warming. 
Interiorly  the  sides  or  walls  have  been  covered  with 
canvas  and  papered  with  oak  paper.  Yentilation  is 
provided  in  the  roof  by  two  large  trunks  with  outlets. 
In  rear  of  the  large  hall  are  two  l  inquiry '  and  meet- 
ing-rooms, and  retiring  rooms  for  ladies  and  gentle- 
men. About  thirty  thousand  cubic  feet  of  timber 
have  been  used  in  the  construction,  and  three  thou- 
sand two  hundred  superficial  feet  of  glass.  The  erec- 
tion has  occupied  altogether  thirty-nine  working 
days." 

The  first  meeting — for  Christian  workers — was 
held  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  though  the 
weather  was  intensely  cold  and  raw,  about  five  thou- 
sand or  six  thousand  were  present.  Probably  so 
great  and  so  striking  a  gathering  of  a  similar  charac- 
ter has  never  before  been  seen  in  Liverpool.  The 
somber  appearance  of  the  building  itself  was  a  little 
relieved  by  the  red  baize  around  the  front  of  the 
galleries,  on  which,  in  large  white  letters,  were  the 
texts, ■" Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;"  "Be  ye 


EXPECT  GREAT  THINGS.  345 

reconciled  to  God ; "  and  "  Ye  must  be  born  again." 
At  the  platform  end  of  the  building  was  exhibited  in 
still  larger  letters  the  words,  "  God  is  love."  A  large 
number  of  ministers  and  laymen  occupied  seats 
on  the  platform,  where  also  were  stationed  the  choir 
of  young  ladies  and  gentlemen  who  have  been  spe- 
cially trained  to  sing  at  the  service. 

Precisely  at  eight  o'clock  the  choir,  which  seemed 
to  be  excellently  trained,  the  voices  being  bright  and 
well-balanced,  and  skillfully  led,  commenced  the 
hymn,  "  Jesus  Loves  even  Me." 

The  Rev.  Henry  Baugh  (Episcopalian)  having  en- 
gaged in  prayer,  Mr.  Sankey  having  sang  u  Hold  the 
Fort,"  and  some  other  pieces,  Mr.  Moody  delivered 
his  address  to  Christian  workers,  and  in  the  course  of 
his  remarks  said  : — "  Xow  if  we  are  going  to  see  a 
great  work  in  this  town  of  Liverpool,  the  children  of 
God  must  be  of  good  courage.  Let  us  expect  great 
things  and  not  be  afraid  of  public  opinion."  Before 
the  departure  of  the  congregation  he  condemned  the 
sale  of  hymn-books  at  the  doors  on  Sundays,  and  con- 
tinued: "It  had  been  said  that  they  were  making 
money  out  of  the  sale  of  the  hymn-books.  But  this 
was  not  so,  for  they  were  only  connected  with  the 
15* 


346  MONEY-MAKING. 


publication  of  one  edition,  the  proceeds  of  the  sale 
of  which  were  handed  over  to  Mr.  Hugh  Matheson  of 
London,  for  charitable  purposes.  -  The  enemy  were 
also  saying  that  they  were  making  a  great  deal  out  of 
the  sale  of  organs.  They  were  not  selling  organs, 
nor  were  they  hired  by  any  organ  society  or  company 
to  represent  them.  He  saw  boys  selling  an  account 
of  his  life,  with  portraits  of  him.  He  wished  peo- 
ple would  not  buy  them." 

Even  with  the  miserable  weather,  there  was  an 
audience  of  at  least  ten  thousand  people  at  the  even- 
ing meeting,  and  it  is  said  about  four  thousand  or  five 
thousand  persons  were  unable  to  get  admission.  The 
great  bulk  of  the  audience  was  composed  of  the  mid- 
dle and  respectable  artizan  classes,  with  here  and 
there  representatives  of  the  poorer  classes  in  fustian 
jackets,  while  no  mean  proportion  of  the  assembly 
was  made  up  of  youths  and  girls.  On  the  platform 
were  several  ministers,  and  several  gentlemen  of 
prominent  positions. 

On  Monday  the  first  of  a  series  of  mid-day  prayer- 
meetings  was  held  at  which  about  three  thousand 
people  were  present. 

The  evening  meeting  was  held  at  half  past  seven, 


"  THE  WORLD  TO  COME."  347 

and  was  attended  by  an  immense  gathering.  Mr. 
Moody  opened  with  the  hymn,  "  Free  from  the  Law," 
and  Mr.  T.  Shuldham  Henry  led  in  prayer,  and  was 
succeeded  by  the  reading  of  Luke,  chapter  15,  and  a 
solo  from  Mr.  Sankey.  Mr.  Moody  preached  on 
Christ's  mission  in  the  world.  At  the  conclusion  of 
his  sermon  Mr.  Moody  asked  all  who  were  uncon- 
verted to  stand  up,  and  a  great  many  stood  up.  An 
after-meeting  was  held  for  which  about  two  thousand 
people  remained. 

On  Tuesday's  mid-day  prayer-meeting  no  less  than 
five  thousand  people  were  present. 

At  half-past  seven  on  the  same  day  the  evening 
service  was  conducted,  which  was  likewise  well  at- 
tended. Mr.  Moody  spoke  of  Christ's  willingness  to 
save  sinners,  and  said  there  were  hundreds  of  ways 
in  which  he  sought  them  out.  Referring  to  eternity, 
Mr.  Moody  said  he  believed  in  the  old-fashioned 
hell  and  the  old-fashioned  heaven  ;  and  as  he  believed 
no  heart  could  conceive  the  bliss  of  heaven,  so  he  be- 
lieved no  heart  could  conceive  the  horrors  of  hell. 
Several  thousands  stopped  for  the  inquiry-meeting, 
held  immediately  afterwards. 

On    Wednesday    the    noon    prayer-meeting    was 


348  ANXIO  US  INQ  HIRERS. 

crowded.  Mr.  Moody  opened  the  service  with  the 
hymn,  "  Sweet  Hour  of  Prayer."  A  large  number 
of  requests  were  read,  and  prayer  offered  on  their 
behalf. 

At  the  evening  service  Mr.  Moody  preached  from 
Isaiah,  6th  chapter,  to  a  large  and  attentive  audience. 
An  inquiry-meeting  was  held  at  the  conclusion  of 
this  service,  and  several  thousand  people  remained  to 
be  conversed  with. 

Thus,  with  little  variation  from  week  to  week,  the 
services  continued  in  Liverpool.  Of  the  third  week 
it  is  testified : 

"  Despite  the  arctic  severity  of  the  weather  during 
the  past  week,  the  audiences  at  Victoria  Hall  at  the 
afternoon  and  evening  meetings  of  the  American 
evangelists  have  been  as  crowded  as  ever,  and  large 
overflow  meetings  have  been  held  in  the  evening  in 
Newsome's  Circus.  The  anxious  inquiry-room,  which 
holds  between  two  and  three  hundred,  has  been  un- 
able to  contain  all  who  resorted  to  it,  and  some  hun- 
dreds of  anxious  inquirers  have  been  addressed  and 
conversed  with  in  the  large  hall  at  the  close  of  the 
evening  service." 

That  Mr.  Moody  encouraged  no  "  healing  slightly  " 


MISLEADING  COUNSEL.  349 

of  wounded  hearts,  will  appear  to  a  thoughtful  reader, 
familiar  with  a  certain  style  of  revival  effort,  from  his 
words  to  the  Christian  workers  in  Liverpool : 

"I  don't  fear  so  much  evil  from  attacks  c  our 
enemies  as  from  the  want  of  wisdom  amongst  some 
of  our  friends.  Only  the  other  night  I  heard  one 
friend  say  to  the  anxious  inquirer  to  whom  he  was 
speaking,  'You  believe  you  are  saved,  and  you  are 
saved.'  Now,  that  is  not  in  the  Word  of  God.  You 
cannot  find  it  in  the  Bible,  that  we  are  saved  if 
we  believe  it.  We  are  told  to  believe  in  Christ. 
Another  said,  'Do  you  feel  you  are  saved?'  Now, 
that  is  the  worst  possible  advice.  What  we  want  is 
to  get  men  out  of  their  feelings.  Feeling  is  the  last 
plank  the  devil  slips  beneath  the  sinner  when  he  is 
trying  to  reach  the  Kock  of  Ages.  When  the  poor 
sinner  feels  his  feet  on  this  plank  he  thinks  he's  all 
right.  But  soon  away  goes  the  plank,  and  he  is  again 
cast  on  a  sea  of  perplexity.  Then  he  cries,  '  Dear  me, 
I  thought  I  was  converted,  I  felt  so  happy!'  What 
we  must  have  is  to  get  them  to  rest  on  some  text  of 
God's  Word,  and  then  they'll  stand  safe.  I  could 
point  many  other  errors,  but  I  wish  just  to  show 
you   the   right   way   of    dealing   with   the   anxious. 


350  BIBLE  WORDS. 


Have  a  Bible  in  your  hand,  ready  to  show  chapter 
and  verse  for  every  hope.  It  does  them  good  to  see 
the  Word  of  God.  I  have  no  sympathy  with 
that  class  who  tell  the  inquirer,  'Now  you  are 
converted.' 

"  "We  don't  know  that — God  alone  knows  the 
heart.  Let  it  be  a  question  between  the  sinner  and 
God  himself.  It  is  well  to  have  some  useful  passages 
marked  in  your  Bible  ready  to  turn  up.  I  will  give 
you  some  that  I  have  found  of  great  benefit:  Romans 
x.  10 ;  Isaiah  i.  18 ;  John  v.  24 ;  John  i.  13 ;  1  Peter 
ii.  24." 

There  is  no  minister  in  Liverpool  enjoying  more 
fully  the  confidence  of  the  Christian  public  than  the 
Rev.  J.  B.  Lowe,  D.D.,  of  St.  Jude's.  He  writes 
thus : 

"  If  I  were  to  select  one  word  by  which  to  express 
my  impression  of  the  work  of  Mr.  Moody  and  Mr. 
Sankey  in  this  town,  I  should  speak  of  its  genuineness. 
The  men  themselves  are  genuine.  They  are  not  arti- 
ficial, with  anything  of  the  character  of  an  actor;  they 
are  true  men,  their  heart  in  the  Lord's  work,  and 
their  eye  single.  Some  persons  are  disappointed 
when  they  first  hear  Mr.  Moody,  and  say  he  does  not 


genuineness:'  351 


come  up  to  the  expectations  they  had  entertained 
respecting  him.  Herein  he  differs  from  an  artificial 
got-up  man,  who  would  put  his  best  foot  foremost, 
and  come  prepared  to  make  a  great  impression,  and 
to  take  every  one  by  storm. 

"  But  Mr.  Moody  aims  not  to  produce  a  mere  effect, 
but  to  instil  vital  truths  of  saving  power  into  the 
minds  of  his  audience,  and  the  impression  made  by 
him  grows  stronger  and  stronger  as  he  proceeds.  His 
manifest  sincerity  and  earnestness  are  prominent  fea- 
tures. Some,  after  hearing  Mr.  Moody  for  the  first 
time,  are  surprised  at  the  fame  of  these  evangelists 
which  has  been  noised  abroad,  but  on  going  again 
have  formed  a  higher  estimate  of  his  preaching.  His 
continual  increase  in  power  over  his  hearers,  is,  in  its 
way.  an  illustration  of  the  proverb,  'The  righteous 
shall  hold  on  his  way,  and  he  that  has  clean  hands 
shall  wax  stronger  and  stronger.' 

"As  regards  the  genuineness  of  the  work,  as  well 
as  of  the  men,  one  is  struck  with  the  great  simplicity 
of  Mr.  Moody's  speech,  and  the  total  absence  of  carnal 
excitement  in  his  manner  and  utterance.  Earnest- 
ness there  is,  indeed,  and  zeal  and  eloquence  (though 
not  oratory),  but  it  is  moral  and  spiritual,  not  carnal 


352  POWER  OF  HOLDING  ON. 

or  sensational.     His  manner  is  rather  behind  than  at 
the  head  of  his  subject-matter."  * 

*  Probably  no  one  has  better  known  or  more  cordially  sus- 
tained Mr.  D.  L.  Moody  than  Mr.  J.  V.  Farwell,  of  Chicago, 
equally  known  as  an  energetic  merchant  and  Christian  worker. 
"  The  good  thing,"  said  he,  fl  about  Brother  Moody  is,  that  he 
keeps  on  the  one  line,  and  the  longer  he  is  known  the  more  he 
is  trusted." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

LIVERPOOL  TO  LONDON. 

In  this  concluding  chapter  we  shall  not  attempt  to 
enter  into  the  same  details  as  have  been  given  con- 
cerning other  places,  for  the  religious  newspapers  of 
March  and  April,  and  even  the  better  class  of  secular 
papers  have  been  describing  the  evangelists'  work  in 
Liverpool,  Birmingham,  and  London.  We  shall  en- 
deavor to  combine  with  the  facts,  the  expressed  opin- 
ion of  widely-known  Christian  men.  We  shall  also 
seek  to  answer  the  very  natural  question :  "  What  is 
the  state  of  religious  feeling  in  places  visited,  say  a 
year  ago  ? " 

Rev.  R.  W.  Dale,  of  Birmingham,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
James'  successor  says,  in  the  Congregationalist : 

"  Some  people  have  said  that  it  is  easy  to  get  crowds 
of  women  to  '  hysterical '  religious  services.  But  al- 
though the  morning  and  afternoon  meetings  were 
largely  attended  by  women,  I  believe  that  the  major- 
ity of  the  evening  congregation  always  consisted  of 
men,  and  of  men  of  all  kinds — rough  lads  of  seven- 
teen or   eighteen,  working-men,  clerks,  tradesmen, 


354:  NOT  HYSTERICAL. 

and  manufacturers.  I  happen  to  have  on  my  desk  a 
list  of  persons  that  came  into  Carr's  Lane  Lecture-room 
one  evening,  to  tell  me  that  they  had  '  found  Christ,' 
during  the  fortnight  that  Mr.  Moody  and  Mr.  Sankey 
were  here ;  out  of  twenty-one  on  the  list  eleven  are 
men.  I  have  another  list  of  persons  who  came  to  me 
the  same  evening,  who  had  been  quickened  to  earnest 
religious  anxiety,  but  were  not  yet  at  rest;  out  of 
thirteen,  eight  are  men.  I  believe  that  these  lists  im- 
perfectly represent  the  proportion  of  men  to  women 
among  those  who  were  impressed  by  the  services;* 
for  I  generally  find  that  men  are  slower  to  express 
religious  decision  than  women. 

"  How,  I  ask,  is  the  great  interest  of  the  people  in 
these  services  to  be  accounted  for  ?  The  truest,  sim- 
plest, and  most  complete  reply  to  the  question  which  I 
can  give  is,  that  the  power  of  God  was  manifested  in 
an  extraordinary  degree  in  connection  with  them." 

After  mentioning  concurrent  circumstances  favor- 
able to  impression,  such  as  expectation  raised,  general 
concern  among  church-goers  who  never  decided,  and 
letters  of  friends,  Mr.  Dale  adds : 

"  After  the  first  day  or  two,  the  services  were  ;  ad- 
vertised '  in  a  very  much  more  efficient  manner  than 


THE  BEST  AD  VERTISEMENTS.  355 

by  newspapers  or  placards:  every  evening,  at  the 
1  after-meeting,'  a  considerable  number  of  persons 
received  Christ  as  their  '  Prince  and  Saviour,'  and 
judging  from  those  with  whom  I  conversed,  most  of 
them  went  home  with  overflowing  joy.  I  have  seen 
occasional  instances  before  of  instant  transition  from 
religious  anxiety  to  the  clear  and  triumphant  conscious- 
ness of  restoration  to  God ;  but  what  struck  me  in 
the  gallery  of  Bingley  Hall  was  the  fact  that  this  in- 
stant transition  took  place  with  nearly  every  person 
with  whom  I  talked.  They  had  come  up  into  the 
gallery  anxious,  restless,  feeling  after  God  in  the 
darkness,  and  when,  after  a  conversation  of  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  or  twenty  minutes,  they  went  away,  their 
faces  were  filled  with  light,  and  they  left  me  not  only 
at  peace  with  God,  but  filled  with  joy.  I  have  seen 
the  sunrise  from  the  top  of  Helvellyn  and  the  top  of 
the  Righi,  and  there  is  something  very  glorious  in  it ; 
but  to  see  the  light  of  heaven  suddenly  strike  on 
mau  after  man  in  the  course  of  one  evening  is  very 
much  more  thrilling.  These  people  carried  their 
new  joy  with  them  to  their  homes  and  their  work- 
shops.    It  could  not  be  hid. 

"  On  the  Sunday  after  Mr.  Moody  and  Mr.  Sankey 


356  ALL  CLASSES  OF  PERSONS. 

had  left  us,  I  invited  those  members  of  my  own  con- 
gregation to  meet  me  who  had  come  to  Christ  during 
the  services  of  the  preceding  fortnight.  A  few  who 
were  still  out  at  sea,  longing  to  make  their  way  to 
quiet  water,  came  with  them.  Nothing  was  easier  than 
to  tell  the  difference  between  the  two  classes  ;  I  think 
I  could  have  separated  them  into  two  divisions  with- 
out asking  a  question  and  with  scarcely  a  mistake. 
Those  who  were  still  *  inquirers/  if  they  did  not  look 
anxious  and  troubled,  looked  like  other  people ;  the 
6  converts '  were  bright  with  their  new  joy.  It  is  as 
yet  too  early  to  obtain  any  general  information  about 
the  extent  of  the  influence  which  I  have  attributed  to 
the  converts  themselves  ;  but  among  the  names  that  I 
have  on  several  lists  of  persons  that  I  saw  myself,  I 
find  the  names  of  two  clerks  who  sat  side  by  side  at 
the  same  desk,  three  pairs  of  brothers  and  sisters, 
three  husbands  with  their  wives ;  and  four  brothers 
— rough  working-men — all  of  whom  have  been  awak- 
ened to  religious  thought  by  Mr.  Moody's  addresses. 
"  The  people  were  of  all  sorts,  young  and  old,  rich 
and  poor,  keen  tradesmen,  manufacturers,  and  mer- 
chants, and  young  ladies  who  had  just  left  school, 
rough  boys  who  knew  more  about  dogs  and  pigeons 


WARMTH  AND  BRIGHTNESS.  357 

than  about  books,  and  cultivated  women.  For  a  time 
I  could  not  understand  it — I  am  not  sure  that  I  under- 
stand it  now.  At  the  first  meeting,  Mr.  Moody's  ad- 
dress was  simple,  direct,  kindly,  and  hopeful :  it  had 
a  touch  of  humor  and  a  touch  of  pathos;  it  was  lit  up 
with  a  story  or  two  that  filled  most  eyes  with  tears ; 
but  there  seemed  nothing  in  it  very  remarkable.  Yet 
it  told.  A  prayer-meeting  with  an  address,  at  eight 
o'clock,  on  a  damp,  cold  January  morning,  was  hardly 
the  kind  of  thing — let  me  say  it  frankly — that  I 
should  generally  regard  as  attractive ;  but  I  en- 
joyed it  heartily ;  it  seemed  one  of  the  happiess 
meetings  I  had  ever  attended.  There  was  warmth 
and  there  was  sunlight  in  it.  At  the  evening  meet- 
ing the  same  day,  at  Bingley  Hall,  I  was  still  un- 
able to  make  out  how  it  was  that  he  had  done  so 
much  in  other  parts  of  the  kingdom.  I  listened  with 
interest ;  everybody  listened  with  interest ;  and  I  was 
conscious  again  of  a  certain  warmth  and  brightness 
which  made  the  service  very  pleasant,  but  I  could  not 
see  that  there  was  much  to  impress  those  that  were 
careless  about  religious  duty.  The  next  morning  at 
the  prayer-meeting,  the  address  was  more  incisive  and 
striking,  and  at  the  evening  service  I  began  to  see 


358  «  EAST  TO  SPEAK  SO." 

that  the  stranger  had  a  faculty  for  making  the  ele- 
mentary truths  of  the  Gospel  intensely  clear  and  vivid. 
But  it  still  seemed  most  remarkable  that  he  should 
have  done  so  much,  and  on  Tuesday  I  told  Mr. 
Moody  that  the  work  was  most  plainly  of  God,  for  I 
could  see  no  real  relation  between  him  and  what  he 
had  done.  He  laughed  cheerily  and  said  he  should 
he  very  sorry  if  it  were  otherwise.  I  began  to  won- 
der whether  what  I  had  supposed  to  be  a  law  of  the 
Divine  Kingdom  was  perfectly  uniform.  I  thought 
that  there  were  scores  of  us  who  could  preach  as  ef- 
fectively as  Mr.  Moody,  and  who  might,  therefore, 
with  God's  good  help,  be  equally  successful. 

"  In  the  course  of  a  day  or  two  my  mistake  was  cor- 
rected ;  but  to  the  last  there  were  sensible  people  who 
listened  to  him  with  a  kind  of  interest  and  delight 
with  which  they  never  listen  to  very  '  distinguished ' 
and  eloquent  preachers,  and  who  yet  thought  that 
though  Mr.  Moody  was  'very  simple  and  earnest,' 
he  had  no  particular  power  as  a  speaker.  I  do  not 
intend  to  suggest  any  comparison  between  Mr.  Moody 
and  our  great  English  orator,  but  I  have  met  peo- 
ple who  have  talked  in  the  same  way  about  Mr. 
Bright,  and  who  seemed  to  think  that  to  speak  like 
Mr.  Bright  was  possible  to  nearly  everybody. 


LIGHT  IN  TEE  SOUL  359 


"  One  of  the  elements  of  Mr.  Moody's  power  con- 
sists in  his  perfect  naturalness.  He  has  something 
to  say,  and  he  says  it — says  it  as  simply  and  directly 
to  thirteen  thousand  people  as  to  thirteen.  He  has 
nothing  of  the  impudence  into  which  some  speakers 
are  betrayed  when  they  try  to  be  easy  and  unconven- 
tional ;  but  he  talks  in  a  perfectly  unconstrained  and. 
straightforward  way,  just  as  he  would  talk  to  half  a 
dozen  old  friends  at  his  fireside. 

"The  number  of  persons  who  remained  for  the  af- 
ter-meeting was  so  large,  that  a  general  appeal  had  to 
be  made  again  and  again  to  Christian  people  in  the 
congregation  to  give  their  help.  Some  responded 
who  had  more  enthusiasm  than  good  sense.  But 
notwithstanding  this,  the  results  of  the  after-meeting 
were  extraordinary.  I  have  already  spoken  of  the 
number  of  persons  with  whom  I  conversed  myself, 
to  whom,  while  I  was  conversing  with  them,  the 
light  came  which  springs  from  the  discovery  of  God's 
love  and  power,  and  from  the  acceptance  of  His  will 
as  the  law  of  life.  Testimony  after  testimony  has 
reached  me  from  converts,  to  whom  the  same  light 
came  while  conversing  with  others.  '  I  went  up 
into  the  gallery,'   said  one  young  man  to  me,  a  day 


360  THE  AFTER-MEETING. 

or  two  ago,  *  and  Mr.  Sankey  walked  up  and  down 
with  me,  and  talked  to  me  as  though  he  had  been  my 
own  father,  and  I  found  Christ.' 

"  The  preaching  without  the  after-meeting  would 
not  have  accomplished  one- fifth  of  the  results.  ■  It 
was  in  the  quiet,  unexciting  talk  with  individuals  that 
the  impressions  produced  by  Mr.  Moody's  addresses 
issued  in  a  happy  trust  in  Christ,  and  a  clear  decision 
to  live  a  Christian  life.  The  galleries  were  a  beauti- 
ful sight.  Mr.  Moody's  quaint  directions  were  almost 
universally  followed :  '  Let  the  young  men  talk  to 
the  young  men,  the  maidens  to  the  maidens,  the  elder 
women  to  the  elder  women,  and  the  elder  men  to  the 
elder  men.'  Cultivated  young  ladies  were  sitting 
or  standing  with  girls  of  their  own  age,  sometimes 
with  two  or  three  together,  whose  eager  faces  indi- 
cated the  earnestness  of  their  desire  to  understand 
how  they  were  to  lay  hold  of  the  great  blessing 
which  they  seemed  to  be  touching,  but  could  not 
grasp.  Young  men  were  talking  to  lads,  some  of 
their  own  social  position,  others  with  black  hands  and 
rough  clothes,  which  were  suggestive  of  gunmaking, 
and  rolling-mills,  and  brass-foundries. '  Ladies  of  re- 
finement  were   trying   to  make   the  truth   clear  to 


NUMBERING  THE  PEOPLE.  361 

"women  whose  worn  faces  and  poor  dress  told  of  the 
hardships  of  their  daily  life.  Men  of  business,  local 
politicians,  were  at  the  same  work  with  men  of  forty 
and  fifty  years  of  age.  And  there  was  the  brightness 
of  hope  and  faith  in  the  tone,  and  manner,  and  bear- 
ing of  nearly  all  of  them.  Christian  people  who 
want  to  know  the  real  nature  of  the  work  of  our 
American  brethren,  and  to  catch  its  spirit,  should 
take  care  to  spend  a  few  honrs  at  the  after-meeting. 
If  they  go  twice,  they  will  find  it  hard  to  keep  away. 
"  Separate  arrangements  were  made  for  those  of  the 
young  men  who  preferred  an  after-meeting  of  their 
own.  A  Presbyterian  church  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  hall  was  thrown  open  for  them,  and  the  at- 
tendance was  generally  very  large.  Mr.  Moody  does 
not  approve  of  the  publication  of  the  number  of  per- 
sons who  have  declared  that  they  have  been  led  to 
begin  a  Christian  life  as  the  result  of  these  services, 
and  I  therefore  do  not  feel  at  liberty  to  publish  in 
these  pages  the  information  on  this  point  which  is  in 
my  possession.  A  week  after  he  had  left  us,  he  re- 
turned to  hold  a  farewell  meeting  for  converts  and 
inquirers.     Ministers  sat  at  the  office  of  the  Young 

Men's  Christian  Association  to  receive  applications 
16 


362  REFLECTION  AT  HOME. 

for  tickets  from  both  these  classes  of  persons.  In 
every  case  I  believe  that  there  was  personal  conver- 
sation with  the  applicants.  Their  names  and  ad- 
dresses were  registered,  and  the  congregations  with 
which  they  were  already  connected,  or  with  which 
they  intended  to  connect  themselves. 

"  The  effect  of  this  work  has  extended  beyond 
those  who  were  present  at  the  services ;  and  very 
much  of  the  good  that  has  been  effected  is  never 
likely  to  be  known.  Since  I  began  to  write  this 
paper,  a  son  of  one  of  the  members  of  my  own 
church,  a  lad  of  seventeen,  came  to  me  and  said  he 
wished  to  enter  the  Church.  I  talked  to  him  for  a 
few  minutes,  and  took  for  granted,  that  Mr.  Moody's 
services  had  led  him  to  religious  decision.  He  had 
all  the  brightness  and  joyousness  which  I  have  come 
to  regard  as  characteristic  of  the  typical  '  Moody  con- 
vert.' I  asked  him  which  of  the  services  had  had 
the  greatest  effect  on  him,  and  he  said  that  his  busi- 
ness engagements  had  prevented  him  from  going  to 
any  of  them.  '  How  was  it,  then,'  I  asked,  '  that 
you  came  to  trust  in  Christ?'  'Well  sir,' he  said, 
'  I  could  not  go  to  the  meetings,  but  I  heard  a  great 
deal  of  what  these  two  gentlemen  were  doing,  and  I 


ClIMSTIAWS  HELPED. 


came  to  the  conclusion  that  they  could  not  be  doing 
it  themselves,  but  that  God  must  be  doing  it ;  and 
then  I  came  to  see  that  I  could  look  to  God  myself 
and  get  all  the  good.' 

"  Some  of  the  most  remarkable  results  of  the  visit  of 
our  American  friends  are  to  be  found,  perhaps,  among 
those  who  have  long  been  members  of  Christian 
churches.  I  hardly  know  how  to  describe  the  change 
which  has  passed  over  them.  It  is  like  the  change 
which  comes  upon  a  landscape  when  clouds  which 
have  been  hanging  over  it  for  hours  suddenly  vanish, 
and  the  sunlight  seems  to  fill  both  heaven  and  earth. 
There  is  a  joyousness,  and  an  elasticity  of  spirit,  and 
a  hopefulness,  which  have  completely  transformed 
them  ;  and  the  transformation  shows  itself  in  the  un- 
ostentatious eagerness  with  which  they  are  taking  up 
Christian  work. 

u  If  I  thought  it  worth  while,  I  could  speak  of  some 
things  in  this  work  which  are  not  to  my  taste,  and 
some  things  which  my  judgment  disapproves.  But, 
before  Mr.  Moody  and  Mr.  Sankey  came  to  Birming- 
ham, I  had  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  what  was 
said  of  the  early  evangelists  of  Antioch  was  the 
truest  account  of  the  work  of  these  American  evan- 


364:  MISSING  THE  BLESSING. 

gelists  in  Scotland  and  Ireland — '  The  hand  of  the 
Lord  was  with  them  ;  and  a  great  number  believed, 
and  turned  unto  the  Lord.'  This  conviction  has 
been  deepened  and  confirmed  by  all  that  I  have  seen 
of  them.  When  Whitefield  and  "Wesley  were  renew- 
ing the  religious  life  of  England,  there  were  learned, 
orthodox,  and  devout  ministers  who  were  distressed 
by  '  The  Decay  of  the  Dissenting  Interest,'  and  the 
low  state  of  religion  throughout  the  country ;  there 
were  ministers  who  had  written  pamphlets  on  these 
subjects  in  the  hope  of  re-awakening  in  the  Christian 
churches  of  that  time  the  faith  and  zeal  of  earlier 
and  better  days,  but  who  regarded  Whitefield  and 
Wesley  with  a  distrust  like  that  with  which  Mr. 
Moody  and  Mr.  Sankey  are  now  regarded  by  some 
excellent  people.  The  very  objections  which  are 
urged  against  Mr.  Moody  and  Mr.  Sankey  were  urged 
against  the  leaders  of  the  great  evangelical  revival 
which  saved  England  from  sinking  into  atheism. 
The  result  was  inevitable  ;  these  ministers  and  their 
churches  missed  the  blessing  for  which  they  had  been 
longing  and  praying.  When  'the  power  of  God' 
is  with  men  who  preach  what  we  acknowledge  to  be 
the  great  truths  of  the  Gospel,  it  is  surely  our  clear 


SYMPATHY  NEEDED.  365 

duty  to*  co-operate  with  them  heartily  and  frankly. 
If  in  their  methods,  and  if  in  their  very  conception 
of  Christian  truth  and  the  Christian  life,  there  are 
some  things  which  we  cannot  accept,  these  may  surely 
be  borne  with,  and  even  forgotten.  These  men  es- 
pecially, who  are  in  the  habit  of  insisting  on  '  breadth' 
of  sympathy  with  all  in  whom  there  is  genuine  Chris- 
tian earnestness,  and  who  are  always  saying  that  rigid 
accuracy  in  doctrinal  definitions  is  of  inferior  impor- 
tance to  a  living  faith  in  Christ,  ought  to  be  able  to 
rise  above  the  kind  of  objections  which  seem  likely 
to  alienate  some  of  them  from  this  work. 

"  It  is  possible  that  in  some  places,  our  American 
visitors  may  not  achieve  the  kind  of  success  which 
has  hitherto  followed  them.  Before  they  came  to 
Birmingham,  I  felt  very  doubtful  whether  they 
would  accomplish  here  what  they  had  accomplished 
in  Dublin  and  Belfast.  I  believe  they  will  accom- 
plish very  little  in  any  place  where  they  are  not  sus- 
tained by  the  hearty  sympathy  of  Christian  people, 
and  where  Christian  churches  do  not  earnestly  en- 
treat God  to  manifest  in  connection  with  their  work 
the  transcendent  greatness  of  His  power  and  love. 
There  were  people  among  whom  our  Lord  Himself 


366  BEV.  W.  H.  M.  AITEEN. 

1  could  do  no  mighty  works,  because  of  their  unbe- 
lief.' " 

The  work  in  Liverpool  is  thus  described  by  Rev. 
"W.  H.  M.  Aitken,  Christ  Clmrch  (we  necessarily  ab- 
breviate), after  it  had  been  in  progress  for  some  time, 
and  when  the  noonday  service  was  attended  by  about 
six  thousand  persons : 

"  There  is  no  diminution  in  the  interest  which 
Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey's  visit  is  occasioning ;  on 
the  contrary,  the  meetings  have  never  been  so  full  as 
during  the  first  days  of  the  present  week.  It  is  a 
very  hopeful  sign  that,  at  Sunday  morning's  meet- 
ing (Feb.  21),  the  hall  was  completely  filled  by  8 
o'clock ;  whereas,  when  Mr.  Moody  first  arrived,  and 
there  was  all  the  influence  of  curiosity  to  bring  to- 
gether a  large  audience,  the  hall  was  not  more  than 
half  filled  at  that  hour.  The  meeting  for  non-church- 
goers was  again  well  attended.  Some  who  were 
present  felt  that  the  tone  of  the  meeting  was  not 
quite  equal  to  the  wonderful  morning  meeting  of  the 
previous  Sunday. 

"  The  meeting  for  women  was  again  crowded ;  and 
so  was  the  supplementary  meeting  for  young  men  at 
St.  James'  Hall,  where  addresses  were  delivered  by 


.1  HABVEBT-NIGHT.  367 

the  Rev.  Mr.  Symington,  and  Mr.  Balfour  of  Edin- 
burgh. In  the  evening  an  immense  multitude  of 
men  was  gathered  together,  and  the  circus,  as  well  as 
the  Victoria  Hall,  was  crowded.  The  number  of 
those  who  were  seeking  the  salvation  of  their  souls  is 
stated  to  have  been  very  large,  both  on  this  and  on 
the  two  following  nights.  The  circus  has  been  se- 
cured  for  the  next  fortnight,  and  is  bein^  utilized 
every  night — first  for  an  overflow-meeting,  which 
lasts  from  7  30  to  8  30,  and  then  for  a  meeting 
specially  for  young  men  from  9  till  10. 

"  Perhaps  Tuesday  night  last  was  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  harvest-nights  that  Mr.  Moody  has  had 
here.  After  a  considerable  number  of  inquirers  had 
gone  into  the  ante-room,  he  invited  the  anxious,  and 
only  those,  to  remain  in  the  body  of  the  hall.  It  is 
impossible  to  say  that  there  may  not  have  been  some 
considerable  proportion  of  real  believers  mixed  up 
with  the  multitude  of  persons  who  remained  behind  ; 
but  as  these  numbered  something  like  one  thousand, 
even  making  allowance  for  the  believers  present,  the 
number  of  those  who  were  really  seeking  after  the 
Lord  must  have  been  very  large. 

e    special    meetings    in    Victoria    Hall    have 


368  OPPOSITION  MELTED. 

taken  an  intense  hold  on  the  town.  The  great  build- 
ing is  much  too  small  for  the  work.  Messrs.  Moody 
and  Sankey  hold  eighteen  meetings  in  it  weekly,  and 
day  by  day  the  hall  is  packed  to  overflowing.  Mr. 
Moody  gave  his  lecture  on  Daniel  at  8  o'clock  last 
Sunday  morning  to  an  audience  of  not  less  than  ten 
thousand,  and  those  who  could  not  find  room  in  the 
hall  were  addressed  in  the  circus  adjoining  by  Cap- 
tain Dutton  of  the 'Allan  Line.'  Many  thousands 
had  to  travel  long  distances  in  the  bitter  weather  of 
last  Sunday  to  reach  the  hall  in  time  for  the  meeting. 
~No  movement  like  it  has  ever  been  seen  in  this  part 
of  England. 

"  The  finger  of  God  is  seen  in  all  departments  of 
the  work.  The  erection  of  Victoria  Hall  for  the 
meetings,  made  the  expenses  of  the  visit  to  Liverpool 
unusually  heavy.  Nearly  four  thousand  pounds  have 
been  already  received,  and  God  will  provide  the  rest. 
Then,  again,  the  apathy  of  many  in  the  meetings  has 
been  turned  into  the  deepest  interest.  Opposition  to 
the  movement  is  diminishing.  In  fact,  it  may  be 
said  there  is  now  no  intelligent  opposition,  and 
any  ignorant  opposition  that  exists  is  fast  melting 
away.    When  the  critics  '  come  and  see  '  the  work  of 


B  0  TS  IX  WORK-  SHOPS.  i  I  i !  I 

the  Lord,  they  very  soon  assume  a  respectful  attitude. 
Testimony  to  the  blessed  results  of  the  meetings  is  most 
abundant.  Every  day  large  numbers  of  sincere  inquir- 
ers testify,  by  their  eager  desire  to  know  the  way  of 
God  more  fully  by  private  conversation  in  the '  inquiry- 
room,'  that  the  truth  has  taken  a  living  hold  upon 
them.  The  testimony,  not  only  of  the  majority  of 
the  clergymen  of  Liverpool,  but  of  ministers  from  all 
parts  of  Wales  and  the  Xorth  of  England,  who  have 
come  to  the  meetings,  is  that  their  own  souls  have 
been  strengthened,  and  that  they  feel  God  is  pre- 
paring them  for  times  of  refreshing  and  revival  in 
their  several  spheres  of  labor  such  as  they  have  not 
seen  before.  There  are  few  Sunday-schools  here 
where  the  teachers  are  not  teaching  with  new 
fervor  and  power.  Some  are  filled  with  amazement  at 
what  the  Lord  is  doing  in  their  classes.  Take  one  in- 
stance of  twenty  lads,  mostly  employed  in  an  iron- 
work at  Birkenhead,  where  youths,  as  in  other  work- 
shops, too  often  and  too  readily  learn  the  blasphe- 
mous language  and  vile  ways  of  the  workmen.  Their 
Sunday-school  teacher  is  praising  God  to-day  for 
the  change  wrought  upon  his  class  within  the  past 
weeks.  Instead  of  foul  talk  they  are  now  heard  sing- 
le* 


370  "  NEVER  BE  AS  WE  WERE." 

ing  Mr.  Sankey's  Gospel  hymns ;  and  by  their  con- 
duct to  their  parents  and  teacher,  and  both  in  their 
work  and  ont  of  it,  they  are  showing  that  they  have 
been  with  Jesus.  Take  another  case  of  a  similar  sort. 
At  a  shipbuilding  yard  not  far  from  Birkenhead,  the 
young  lads,  since  these  special  meetings  commenced 
in  Victoria  Hall,  have  met  for  prayer  and  the  read- 
ing of  the  Scriptures  in  the  smithy  during  the  dinner 
hour  ;  until  the  men  began  to  drop  in,  and  the  num- 
ber so  increased,  that  last  Sunday  week  they  applied 
for  accommodation  for  this  dinner-hour  prayer-meet- 
ing in  a  neighboring  mission  house,  and,  at  the  gath- 
ering last  Friday,  sixty-four  were  present,  and  the 
presence  of  God  was  felt  to  be  with  them.  JSTo  one 
but  God  knows  where  the  movement  in  Victoria 
Hall  will  end.  The  remark  which  dropped  from  the 
lips  of  one  of  our  leading  laymen,  at  the  close  of  the 
meeting  for  Christian  workers  last  Sunday  week, 
accurately  describes  the  universal  feeling  of  all  Chris- 
tian hearts  :  '  We  can  never  be  as  we  have  been.' 

"  The  meetings  on  Sunday  last  were  overwhelming. 
Four  times  Victoria  Hall  was  crowded  to  its  utmost 
capacity,  whilst  Newsome's  Circus  and  St.  James' 
Hall  were  twice  filled.     There  must  have  been  not 


A  LAD TS  ACCO TJNT.  371 

less  than  forty-five  thousand  persons  present  at  the 
various  meetings.  There  were  special  trains  from 
St.  Helens  and  Southport  for  the  accommodation  of 
many  who  desired  to  attend.  The  morning  meeting 
for  Christian  workers,  although  at  the  early  hour  of 
eight  o'clock,  was  not  only  crowded,  but  large  num- 
bers were  unable  to  gain  admittance." 

Of  Victoria  Hall,  the  following  is  a  lady's  account: 
"  Victoria  Hall  is  the  name  given  to  the  wooden 
structure  built  for  Mr.  Moody's  meetings.  It  is  most 
successful  for  hearing,  and  for  speedy  entrance  and 
exit  of  a  crowd.  It  has  twenty  doors,  and  can  be 
emptied  of  the  crowds  in  six  or  seven  minutes  in  case 
of  need. 

"  It  is  as  ugly  at  first  sight  as  can  be,  but  grand  in 
the  thought  that  it  was  built  at  great  cost  for  tem- 
porary use  only,  and  for  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel. 
But  at  night,  seen  from  the  raised  back  seat  of  the  plat- 
form, it  looked  beautiful  and  grand;  crowded— literal  1  v 
packed  in  every  corner  ;  earnest,  listening  faces,  and 
perfect  decorum  and  order.  Then  there  must  have 
been  the  ten  thousand  that  can  get  standing-room. 
On  the  red  cloth  covering  of  the  front  of  the  galleries 
are  the  texts,  in  very  large  white  letters  ;  '  Be  ye  re- 


372  BELFAST  REPORTED  OK 

conciled  to  God  ; '  '  Ye  must  be  born  again ; '  '  Be- 
lieve on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  Above  the  platform 
is,  l  God  is  love.'  " 

Early  in  March  two  "  all-day  meetings  "  were  held 
in  Liverpool,  from  the  addresses  at  which  we  may 
judge  of  the  work  in  progress  in  other  places  where 
the  evangelists  had  been,  as  well  as  in  Liverpool. 

Tidings  of  the  Lord's  Work  from  various  Parts 
of  the  Country. 

After  the  meeting  had  been  opened  by  Mr.  Moody, 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Knox,  from  Belfast,  gave  an  account 
of  the  results  of  the  work  in  that  town  ;  of  the  Chris- 
tian unity  amongst  the  various  denominations,  such 
as  never  existed  before  ;  and  of  the  large  increase  in 
the  number  of  communicants.  A  hundred  had  been 
added  in  one  congregation,  three  hundred  in  another, 
and  ninety-five  in  another.  The  work  had  been  speci- 
ally satisfactory  amongst  the  young  men,  no  less  than 
ninety  of  whom  had  offered  themselves  for  mission- 
ary work.  The  results  have  also  been  very  apparent 
in  the  various  factories  and  houses  of  business.  There 
was  scarcely  one  of  these  in  which  conversions  were 
not  still  taking  place  from  week  to  week.      In  one 


PREACHING  IMPROVED.  373 

place  of  business  no  less  than  forty  young  women  had 
recently  been  brought  to  the  Lord,  and  in  another 
sixty-seven.  He  also  pointed  out  the  great  change 
which  had  taken  place  in  the  character  of  the  preach- 
ing of  the  ministers  of  the  Gospel.  They  preached 
the  same  truths  as  before,  but  with  a  directness  and 
spirit  of  expectation  such  as  previously  they  had  been 
strangers  to. 

Rev.  Dr.  Harrison,  of  Liverpool,  spoke  of  the 
large  number  of  backsliders  who  had  been  reclaimed  ; 
and  the  deep  interest  taken  by  the  working  classes 
in  the  movement.  In  the  course  of  his  daily  visits 
he  was  continually  asked  by  the  poor  people  whether 
he  was  attending  the  services. 

Eev.  T.  Macpherson,  called  attention  to  the  Lord's 
quickening  all  those  who  professed  to  be  God's  peo- 
ple ;  the  increase  of  courage  on  the  part  of  weak  and 
timorous  Christians,  so  that  they  were  enabled  to 
speak  for  the  Master;  the  hundreds  of  letters  from 
relatives  showing  the  intensest  desire  for  the  conver- 
i  of  their  friends  ;  and  the  extension  of  the  work 
to  all  ranks  and  classes  of  society,  many  of  the  poor- 
est of  the  poor  having  evidently  been  surprised  by 
the  manifestation   of  deep  interest  in  their  spiritual 


374  MANCHESTER  REPORTED  ON 

well-being  on  the  part  of  those  in  a  superior  social 
position.  In  many  eases  old  memories  of  forgotten 
truths  had  been  revived.  On  several  occasions  no  less 
than  from  four  hundred  to  five  hundred  persons  had 
been  spoken  to  in  a  single  night.  And  the  blessings 
had  not  been  confined  to  this  hall,  but  in  their  various 
congregations  the  droppings  had  been  falling  fast. 
He  further  called  attention  to  the  consideration  that  in 
this  movement  we  had  had  a  proof  of  what  we  might 
expect  God  to  do  when  His  people  were  united  as  one. 
Eev.  Mr.  Robinson,  of  Manchester,  gave  some  ac- 
count of  the  results  of  the  work  in  that  city.  He  had 
been  eleven  years  in  Manchester,  and  had  never  seen 
anything  like  the  present  state  of  things.  Christians 
were  bold  to  speak  for  Jesus,  and  large  rooms  had 
been  engaged  in  various  parts  of  the  town,  and  crowd- 
ed meetings  and  conversions  were  still  taking  place. 
He  mentioned  that,  during  Mr.  Moody's  visit  to 
Manchester,  three  clergymen  had  come  from  Pres- 
ton, and  had  gone  back  full  of  a  desire  to  commence 
similar  meetings  there.  He  himself  had  seen  some 
four  thousand  people  gathered  together  in  the  Corn 
Exchange  in  that  town,  and  there  was  a  great  and 
general  quickening  of  spiritual  vitality  there. 


D  UBLIN  AND  EDINB  URGE.  3 75 

Mr.  Smithson,  of  Dublin,  gave  an  account  of  the 
deputations  from  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation in  Dublin,  which  were  carrying  the  fire  and 
the  heat  generated  in  connection  with  the  work  in 
Dublin  all  through  the  country. 

Mr.  Smith,  of  Manchester,  stated  that,  as  a  result 
of  Mr.  Moody's  visit  to  that  city,  the  Young  Men's 
Society  there  was  in  a  most  flourishing  condition. 
Six  gentlemen  had  come  forward  witli  princely  dona- 
tions, and  had  placed  a  sum  of  no  less  than  thirty- 
three  thousand  pounds  at  the  disposal  of  the  Society 
for  the  erection  of  suitable  buildings,  while  eleven 
thousand  pounds  more  had  been  collected  by  others, 
many  of  whom  were  ladies. 

Eev.  Dr.  Bonar  spoke  of  the  free  breakfasts  in 
Edinburgh,  of  the  house-to-house  visitation  in  that 
and  other  towns,  and  of  the  power  of  prayer  as  a 
means  of  gathering  in  the  multitude.  "  We  must 
pray  them  in,  and  avoid  dull  preaching." 

Sunday,  March  7th,  was  Mr.  Moody's  last  day  in 
Liverpool.  Mr.  Sankey  had,  however,  left  on  the 
previous  day  for  Birmingham.  At  the  Christian 
workers'  meeting  in  the  morning,  the  addresses  consist- 
ed entirely  of  imparting  practical  advice  to  Christians 


376  THE  LONDON  TELEGRAPH. 

as  to  the  studies  and  duties  most  adapted  for  their 
spiritual  growth.  At  eleven  o'clock  the  meeting  was 
for  anxious  inquirers,  and  the  subject  of  the  address 
was  "  Trust."  The  three  o'clock  meetings  were  solely 
for  women,  and  not  only  was  Victoria  Hall  filled  but 
also  Xewsome's  Circus  and  St.  James'  Hall,  whilst 
even  then  large  numbers  could  not  be  accommodated. 
The  address  was  from  the  text,  "  Come  thou  and  all 
thy  house  into  the  Ark,"  and  the  appeal  at  the  close 
of  the  address  was  one  of  the  most  impressive  yet  de- 
livered. A  very  large  inquirers'  meeting  was  held 
at  the  conclusion  of  this  service,  it  being  computed 
that  nearly  four  hundred  remained. 

It  was  in  view  of  the  facts  thus  reported,  and  pa- 
tent, that  anticipating  the  visit  to  London,  the  Daily 
Telegraph  contained  the  following  language  : 

u  People  in  the  metropolis  will  soon  judge  for 
themselves  how  far  the  provinces  have  been  justified 
in  their  emotion  at  the  revivalists  from  across  the 
Atlantic.  It  takes  a  great  deal  to  move  Londoners  in 
any  such  manner,  and  many  here  will  abruptly  dis- 
pose of  the  whole  business  by  the  familiar  phrase, 
1  religious  hysteria.'  This  success,  however,  appears 
rather  too  complex,  and  we  may  add,  socially  useful, 


GO  AND  SEE."  377 


to  be  explained  so  easily  by  the  phrases  of  mad-doc- 
tors, materialists,  or  cynics.  Wherever  those  people 
come,  they  seem  to  effect  at  once  that  which  arch- 
bishops and  rural  deans  and  curates  from  the  Univer- 
sities cannot  do  :  they  '  convince  people  of  sin  ; '  they 
wake  hundreds  of  thousands  of  hearts  to  the  considera- 
tion of  '  righteousness,  temperance,  and  judgment  to 
come.'  Unless,  then,  we  are  to  call  all  religious  feel- 
ing hysteria  and  mania ;  unless  St.  Paul  preaching 
on  Mars'  Hill,  and  Dr.  Yaughan  in  the  Temple,  are 
equally  appealing  to  the  excitable  nervous  systems  of 
automata,  we  cannot  clearly  see  why  the  churches 
should  be  scandalized  at  the  work  done  by  the  two 
revivalists.  It  rather  seems  to  us,  that  when  Moody 
and  Sankey  come  to  London,  the  dignitaries  and  min- 
isters of  all  the  churches  would  do  well  to  go  and  see 
what  amazing  things  real  genius  and  unselfish  ardor 
can  accomplish,  even  in  the  present  age.  They  will 
hear,  people  say,  some  '  pieces '  spoken  about  this  life 
and  the  next,  which,  delivered  with  a  nasal  twang  or 
not,  go  to  the  souls  of  people  straighter  than  any  ser- 
mon bought  in  Paternoster  Pow.  They  will  see — if 
London  reproduces  what  Dublin  and  Liverpool  have 
witnessed — congregations  stirred  with  the  '  old  story,' 


378  LONDON  ENTERED. 

told  newly,  as  the  seas  are  raised  by  storm-winds. 
And,  notwithstanding  all  the  easy  talk  about  hysteria, 
epidemics,  magnetism,  nervous  systems  and  the  like, 
the  philosophers  and  divines  have  yet  to  explain  to  us 
why  it  is  a  bad  thing  for  these  Yankee  itinerants  to 
turn  people  by  the  thousand  to  right  and  virtuous 
lives,  and  a  good  thing  when  a  bishop  or  a  cardinal 
manages  to  convert  half  a  dozen." 

On  the  termination  of  the  Liverpool  meetings  the 
evangelists  proceeded  to  London,  and  we  are  obliged 
to  content  ourselves  with  some  notice  of  their  open- 
ing meetings.  It  is  with  satisfaction  we  notice  the 
friends  who  stood  by  them  at  the  beginning,  now 
that  they  have  been  given  such  a  hold  on  the  atten- 
tion of  the  people  that  while  we  write  this  statement 
(April  19th),  the  most  exalted  personages  in  the  land 
are  among  their  hearers. 

The  first  of  the  series  of  noonday  meetings  at 
Exeter  Hall  was  held  on  Tuesday,  March  9th.  Lord 
Radstock  was  in  the  chair,  and  there  were  present 
Lord  Cavan,  Admiral  Fish  bourne,  Samuel  Morley, 
M.P.,  Revs.  Newman  Hall,  Donald  Fraser,  etc.  The 
meeting  was  opened  with  prayer  by  Lord  Radstock. 

Rev.  Mr.  Chapman,   Episcopal    clergyman,   read 


EXETER  HALL.  3  i  9 


mmel,  chap.  v.  22  to  the  end.  He  said  :  "The 
tidings  we  have  heard  from  Scotland,  Ireland,  and 
many  of  our  largest  towns,  also  the  spirit  of  expec- 
tation in  London,'  all  lead  us  to  inquire — Is  it  not  true 
that  the  Lord  has  gone  before  us  ?  K 

Lord  Radstock  said — "  It  will  now  be  open  to  any 
brother  to  lead  us  in  prayer.  But  as  our  time  is 
short,  the  prayers  must  be  short  and  very  definite. 
Let  us  ask  for  a  distinct  blessing,  and  look  for  a  dis- 
tinct answer.  Do  not  let  the  requests  be  clouded  by 
many  words.  There  might  be  time  for  ten  brethren 
to  lead  us  in  prayer  in  these  seventeen  remaining 
minutes,  if  they  will  only  pray  to  the  point.  Let  us 
pray  distinctly,  so  as  to  be  heard  ;  but  let  us  remem- 
ber that  we  are  not  speaking  to  the  meeting,  but 
speaking  to  God,  and  that  we  are  responsible  for 
what  we  say/"' 

Five  or  six  gentlemen  then  engaged  in  prayer,  and 
a  hymn  having  been  sung,  Lord  Radstock  offered  up 
an  earnest  prayer,  after  which  the  doxology  having 
been  sung,  the  meeting  separated. 

The  next  day  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey  were 
present,  as  were  also  the  Earl  ot'Cavan,  Admiral  Fish- 
bourne,  Captain  Moreton,  R.X.,  R.  Paton,  Esq.,  Rev. 


380  THE  WATCHWORD. 

Dr.  dimming,  and  a  number  of  eminent  clergymen 
and  ministers. 

The  proceedings  were  opened  by  singing  the  hymn, 
"  Sweet  Hour  of  Prayer."  The  requests  for  prayer 
were  then  read  by  Rev.  Mr.  Chapman,  Episcopal 
clergyman  of  Lock  Chapel. 

Mr.  Moody  then  said — "  I  wish  to  call  attention  to 
a  verse  in  the  22d  chapter  of  Jeremiah.  This  verse 
we  have  taken  as  our  watchword  in  every  town  we 
have  visited  for  the  last  twenty  months,  '  There  is 
nothing  too  hard  for  the  Lord.'  God  would  have  us 
remember,  as  we  come  day  by  day,  bringing  these 
requests  before  the  Lord,  that  nothing  is  too  hard  for 
Him.  Let  us  lift  our  eyes  to  Him,  remembering 
that  all  power  is  given  to  Him  in  heaven  and  on 
earth.  There  is  nothing  too  hard  for  the  Lord.  He 
can  save  the  greatest  drunkard,  or  the  greatest  blas- 
phemer, as  easily  as  I  can  turn  my  hand.  God  is 
challenging  the  Christians  of  London  to  call  upon 
Him.  He  delights  to  do  great  things.  Nothing 
pleases  Him  so  well  as  for  us  to  ask  for  great  things. 
Let  us,  then,  boldly  ask  for  a  mighty  blessing  on 
London.  It  is  to  talk  to  God  that  we  have  met  to- 
day ;  let  us  be  full  of  faith  in  the  power  of  Christ. 


AGRICULTURAL  HALL.  3S1 

"We  may  learn  from  the  story  of  the  Shunammite 
woman,  that  we  are  not  to  be  content  with  the  pres- 
ence of  a  servant ;  we  must  have  the  Master  him- 
self, '  As  the  Lord  liveth,  I  will  not  go  without  thee.' 
His  presence  must  accompany  us,  if  we  are  to  labor 
successfully  in  His  service." 

The  first  meeting  in  the  Agricultural  Hall  is  thus 
described : 

"  For  a  week  past  or  more  the  Agricultural  Hall 
has  been  in  course  of  preparation  for  their  visit,  and 
it  was  computed  that  the  arrangements  would  afford 
accommodation  for  about  fifteen  thousand  persons. 
By  the  hour  appointed  for  the  commencement  of  pro- 
ceedings every  part  of  this  vast  space  was  densely 
packed,  and  a  crowd  outside  were  knocking  at  the 
doors  and  clamoring  for  admission. 

"  It  is  said  that  soon  after  four  in  the  afternoon 
applicants  for  admission  were  on  the  spot  with  little 
bundles  of  bread  and  butter  and  bottles  of  cold  tea, 
awaiting  the  commencement  of  operations  at  half-past 
seven.  With  the  opening  of  the  doors  at  six  o'clock 
people  passed  in  by  hundreds,  and  the  interior  of  the 
vast  building,  with  its  huge  circles  of  gas-jets,  its 
crimson  platform,  and  the  throngs  flocking  into  it, 


382  BO  WED  IN  SILENT  PBA  TEB. 

presented  a  very  pretty  and  animated  scene,  the  pla- 
cards at  the  entrance  requesting  the  people  to  take 
their  seats  quietly,  and  not  to  engage  in  conversation, 
being  very  generally  overlooked  or  disregarded. 

"  After  the  evangelists  had  arrived,  Mr.  Moody 
called  upon  the  audience  to  rise  and  join  in  singing 
the  Old  Hundredth  Psalm,  praising  God  for  what  He 
was  going  to  do  in  London.  The  grand  old  tune  was 
sung  accordingly,  and  a  mighty  and  impressive  vol- 
ume of  sound  it  was.  The  Rev.  R.  C.  Billings 
offered  up  a  prayer.  Another  hymn  was  sung.  And 
then  Mr.  Moody  requested  the  audience  to  engage  in 
silent  devotion.  A  concourse  of  fourteen  or  fifteen 
thousand  people  bowing  the  head  in  silence,  broken 
only  by  an  occasional  cough,  and  all  presumably 
animated  by  a  devotional  spirit,  is  rather  a  solem- 
nizing spectacle  ;  and  there  were,  perhaps,  few  present 
who  were  incapable  of  understanding  the  feelings  of 
the  man  whose  voice,  when  he  next  spoke,  became, 
after  a  few  sentences,  broken  and  tremulous.  It  was 
only  for  a  moment,  however,  and  he  finished  his 
prayer  in  his  characteristic  tone  of  energy  and  earnest- 
ness, and  then  called  on  Mr.  Sankey  for  his  contribu- 
tion to  the  service,  which  it  was  quite  evident  was 
awaited  with  intense  eagerness." 


A  ERANi  /  EMENT3.  3S3 


It  will  be  interesting  to  note  the  arrangements  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  vast  multitude  thus  meeting 
daily  in  the  hall.  In  the  body  of  the  hall  twelve 
thousand  new  chairs  have  been  placed,  to  reinforce 
two  thousand  already  belonging  to  the  establishment, 
in  addition  to  room  for  two  thousand  on  forms.  The 
platform  at  the  west  end  is  arranged  in  steps,  that  will 
seat  twelve  hundred  persons.  In  the  center  of  the 
north  side  is  the  platform  for  the  choir  organized  by 
Mr.  Joseph  Proudman,  of  the  Tonic  Sol-fa  Association, 
and  for  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey.  The  accommo- 
dation here  is  for  two  hundred  and  twenty.  The 
eastern  platform  is  fitted  with  nine  hundred  seats,  and 
in  the  south  gallery  are  three  thousand  chairs.  The 
addition  gives  a  total  of  twenty-one  thousand  three 
hundred  and  twenty,  not  including  the  west  and  east 
end  galleries,  each  capable  of  containing  six  hundred 
more.  The  lighting  of  the  hall  is  effected  by  means 
of  large  gas  chandeliers,  hanging  from  the  roof,  aided 
by  lines  of  gas-jets  along  the  sides,  straight,  save  at 
the  centers,  where  they  rise  in  three  semi-circular 
arches.  The  acoustic  properties  of  the  hall  are  greatly 
aided  by  an  immense  sounding-board  over  the  speak- 
ers' platform.     Mr.  A.  O.  Charles,  of  the  Home  for 


384  ASPIRATIONS. 


Little  Boys,  is  acting  as  manager  at  the  hall,  assisted 
by  a  number  of  stewards,  known  by  their  wands. 

The  perfect  order  which  is  maintained  throughout 
the  services  speaks  well  for  the  completeness  of  the 
organization,  and  is  very  helpful  both  to  the  comfort 
and  success  of  the  meetings. 

There  and  in  other  places — as  it  is  deemed  desira- 
ble to  reach  the  people — the  meetings  proceed  with 
undiminished  interest  and  power.  May  the  Lord, 
who  has  been  with  these  brethren  hitherto,  pour  out 
showers  of  blessings  over  London ! 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

PRESENT  CONDITION  OF  THE  CITIES  VISITED. 

In  bringing  to  a  close  this  record  of  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  religious  movements  of  modern  times — a 
movement  we  are  thankful  to  feel  not  of  the  past, 
but  still  in  progress — never  we  hope  to  be  at  an  end, 
we  can  readily  anticipate  the  question  from  our  read- 
ers :  How  is  it  in  those  places  where  the  charm  of 
Mr.  Sankey's  singing  and  the  forceful  eloquence  of 
Mr.  Moody  are  no  longer  felt?  The  question  is 
natural  and  reasonable.  Ireland  is  commonly  sup- 
posed to  have  a  mercurial  and  excitable  population. 
There,  if  anywhere  the  decline  of  interest  might  be 
expected  to  show  itself.  But  it  has  not.  From  the 
Witness  (issued  in  Belfast)  of  February  5,  we  make 
the  following  extract.  It  will  be  remembered  that 
the  evangelists  had  quitted  Ireland  in  the  end  of  No- 
vember. We  ought  to  add  further  that  the  places 
reported  on,  in  Belfast,  are  towns  of  from  live  to  ten 
thousand  inhabitants  throughout  the  province  of 
17 


386  PROVINCE  OF  ULSTER. 

Ulster,   and   that   they  were   never   visited   by   the 
evangelists : 

"  At  the  noon  prayer-meeting,  many  very  cheering 
reports  were  given.  The  Rev.  Hugh  Hanna,  who 
presided,  said  that  on  last  Sabbath  the  communion 
was  dispensed  in  his  church,  when  sixty-two  came 
forward  for  the  first  time.  Seven  of  these  were 
policemen.  He  also  told  of  a  warehouse  in  town 
where  fifteen  of  the  young  women  employed  have 
been  converted,  and  are  now  laboring  for  the  good  of 
others.  He  was  glad  to  see  on  every  side  tokens  of  a 
continuance  of  God's  presence  and  power.  A  layman 
described  a  cottage  meeting  in  which  he  was  inter- 
ested, which  had  now  gone  on  for  four  weeks,  and 
which  was  crowded  nightly  with  people  who  were 
deeply  moved,  and  largely  profited  by  the  services. 
The  Rev.  William  Park  said  he  was  sure  the  meeting 
would  be  glad  to  hear  that  the  good  work  was  pro- 
gressing in  Monaghan.  The  First  Presbyterian 
Church  was  so  crowded  at  the  special  meetings  there, 
that  forms  had  to  be  placed  in  the  aisles.  Inquiry 
meetings  were  also  held  with  good  results.  A 
stranger  next  spoke  of  what  is  being  done  at  Dro- 
mara.     Very  large  and  successful  meetings  are  being 


ORGANIZED  EFFORT.  387 

held  here,  with  sometimes  as  many  as  one  hundred 
inquirers  remaining  at  the  close.  In  Lisburn,  also, 
he  said,  the  good  work  continues,  and  has  now  taken 
a  very  practical  turn — new  efforts  being  made  to 
bring  in  the  neglected  and  instruct  them.  Mr.  Mul- 
lan  said  that  in  Portadown  they  were  now  in  the 
eleventh  week  of  special  nightly  meetings.  The  usual 
attendance  at  these  was  from  three  hundred  to  seven 
hundred,  and  it  was  computed  that  up  to  the  present 
time  three  hundred  persons  have  been  turned,  from 
the  error  of  their  ways  since  the  movement  began  in 
the  town.  Special  efforts  were  also  being  made  to 
bring  in  the  neglected.  The  town  is  now  divided 
into  thirty-three  districts  for  the  purposes  of  visita- 
tion, and  this  work  is  being  regularly  and  systemati- 
cally prosecuted.  Eev.  E.  C.  Johnston  said  he  had 
recently  been  in  Gilford,  and  he  was  glad  to  say  the 
good  work  had  commenced  there.  A  "  mission  "  had 
recently  been  held  in  the  Episcopal  church  with  grati- 
fying results  —  sometimes  one  hundred  inquirers 
remaining  at  the  close  of  a  meeting. 

"  During  the  past  fortnight  seven  special  evangelistic 
services  have  been  held  in  the  Presbyterian  church, 
Greyabbey.     The  attendance  ranged  from  three  hun- 


388  ARMAGH. 


dred  to  four  hundred  and  upwards  each  evening,  and 
included  a  large  number  of  non-churchgoers  in  work- 
ing dress.  The  Rev.  Robert  Jeffrey  was  generously 
assisted  by  the  Rev.  Oliver  Goldsmith,  incumbent  of 
Grey  abbey ;  Rev.  S.  Hawthorne,  Rev.  J.  K.  Elliott, 
Rev.  M.  Macaulay,  and  Mr.  Jones,  of  Belfast. 

"  The  work  of  grace  in  the  old  primatial  city  of 
Armagh*  has  attained  to  dimensions  that  are  indeed 
marvelous.  The  meetings  commenced  with  the  ]STew 
Year,  but  during  the  first  week  they  were  separate — 
one  meeting  being  held  in  the  Lecture-room  con- 
nected with  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  and 
another  in  the  Methodist  church.  In  the  second 
week  of  January  the  union  meetings  commenced,  and 
though  the  meetings  have  continued  every  night  dur- 
ing the  whole  of  January,  and  throughout  the  present 
week  of  February,  there  is  no  flagging  of  interest. 
On  last  Saturday  night,  it  was  computed  that  there 
were  nearly  one  thousand  people  in  the  Presby- 
terian church,  and  nearly  two  hundred  anxious 
souls  in  the  Methodist  church,  afterwards  inquiring 

*  One  of  the  editors  of  this  volume  having  been  for  nearly  six 
years  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  in  Armagh,  he 
makes  this  extract  with  no  common  gratitude  to  God. 


COOKSTOWN.  389 


the  way  of  salvation.  It  would  be  presumptuous  to 
attempt  to  make  an  accurate  census  of  the  souls  that 
have  been  brought  to  Christ  through  the  power  of  the 
Word  and  Spirit  of  God  ;  but  keeping  within  the  lim- 
its of  sober  calculation,  it  may  be  affirmed  that  there 
are  over  one  hundred  souls  that  have  been  changed 
from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan 
to  God.  A  most  intelligent  person,  who  knows  the 
city  well,  said  to  the  writer  of  this  brief  report  to-day 
— "  The  ministers  don't  know  anything  like  the  ex- 
tent of  this  movement,  or  how  many  are  seeking  the 
way  of  peace,  and  how  many  in  this  city  have  found 
Christ  to  be  precious." 

"  The  united  evangelistic  services  that  were  com- 
menced in  Cookstowu,  on  the  first  week  in  January, 
have  been  continued  with  increased  interest  and  atten- 
tion up  to  the  present  time.  Latterly,  a  large  num- 
ber of  Christian  laymen,  of  different  denominations, 
have  cordially  united  with  the  ministers  in  giving 
short  addresses,  and  leading  in  devotional  exercises. 
A  large,  influential  meeting  of  Christian  workers  was 
held,  when  it  was  resolved  to  visit  the  town,  distribute 
tracts,  and  invite  all  to  the  meetings.  This  plan  has 
been  followed  with  marked  success  in  bringing  out 
many  who  attend  no  place  of  worship." 


390  DUBLIN. 


From  Dublin,  at  the  same  date  (February  5),  it  is 
reported : 

u  Our  daily  prayer-meeting  has  been  carried  on  as 
usual.  The  encouraging  signs  about  it,  which  I  men- 
tioned last  week,  have  been  still  more  marked  since 
then.  And  while  none  of  the  spirit  of  heartiness  has 
departed,  the  numbers  attending  are  steadily  increas- 
ing. It  is  evident  that  the  hour  of  prayer  is  a  time 
of  much  enjoyment  to  many,  and  we  may  reasonably 
hope  of  profit. 

"  The  accounts  given  in  on  Monday  of  the  progress 
of  the  Lord's  work  during  the  previous  week  were 
truly  cheering  and  encouraging.  One  minister  said 
that  Sabbath  evening  last  was  the  most  blessed  season 
he  had  had  in  his  congregation  since  he  came  to 
Dublin.  Another  said  that  in  his  church  between 
three  and  four  hundred  people  waited  till  half-past  10 
o'clock  in  the  inquiry-meeting,  which  was  held  after 
the  evening  service,  and  they  had  had  most  delightful 
tokens  of  God's  presence.  Another  minister  said  that 
in  one  of  the  Sabbath-schools  connected  with  his  con- 
gregation, attended  by  about  one  hundred  scholars, 
sixty  of  the  pupils  have  lately  professed  to  have  found 
their  Saviour.     And  many  of  these  are  very  rough 


ARO  UNB  D  UBLUT.  391 

and  "wild  boys  and  girls.  A  gentleman  present  said 
he  had  been  invited  by  the  principal  of  one  of  the 
large  educational  establishments  in  the  city  to  visit 
her  school.  He  went,  and  he  found  that  out  of  sev- 
enty young  ladies  twenty -live  have  professedly,  within 
the  last  three  months,  given  themselves  to  God. 

u  The  reports  of  the  work  going  on  in  the  suburbs 
of  Dublin,  and  also  in  more  distant  parts  of  the 
county,  were  equally  encouraging.  At  the  little 
village  of  Lucan,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  city, 
where  united  evangelistic  services  have  been  held 
nightly  for  the  last  fortnight,  the  most  blessed  in- 
dications of  the  Spirit  are  seen.  The  meeting  on 
Sabbath  night  was  the  most  crowded  of  any,  though 
it  was  not  known  till  a  short  time  before  the  service 
that  any  meeting  was  to  be  held  that  night.  !Not  a 
night  has  passed  since  the  meetings  began  there  in 
which  souls  have  not  been  born  again.  There,  as  in 
other  places,  the  fields  are  white  to  the  harvest,  and 
the  people  in  the  neighborhood  are  very  sorry  that 
the  services  cannot  be  continued. 

'  Very  interesting  accounts  also  were  given  of  the 
progress  of  the  work  in  other  parts  of  our  land.  In 
the  County  Wicklow  many  are  being  brought  to  God 


392  THE  WEST  OF  IRELAND. 

from  week  to  week,  while  in  more  remote  districts 
many  others  are  being  awakened  and  converted.  In 
Galway  the  Protestant  community  is  moved  to  the 
very  center,  and  some  of  a  different  persuasion  have 
been  brought  to  read  the  Book  of  Life.  In  another 
western  town  the  effect  among  our  fellow  country- 
men, who  in  matters  of  faith  do  not  see  with  us,  has 
been  so  great  that  their  spiritual  directors,  alarmed, 
sent  for  the  Redemptorist  Fathers  to  counteract  the 
movement.  Special  reports  from  these  and  other 
places  were  read  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mullan  from 
Plain  Words  for  this  month.  A  very  striking 
incident  was  related  by  a  gentleman  of  a  town 
with  which  he  was  acquainted.  A  committee  there 
having  charge  of  the  prayer-meeting  and  united 
services,  etc.,  had  engaged  the  court-house  to  hold 
their  meetings  in,  but  a  party  of  play-actors  came  and 
secured  the  house  for  themselves  by  paying  more 
money.  Their  speculation,  however,  was  not  suc- 
cessful, for  while  the  prayer  and  other  meetings  were 
thronged  with  thousands,  the  audience  who  patron- 
ized the  play  on  the  first  evening  numbered  six  per- 
sons, and  on  the  second  evening  two  !  " 

If  it  be  asked  how,  after  a  year's  experience,  is  the 


AUXIVEESART  IN  GLASGO  W.  393 

work  now  regarded  in  Scotland,  the  following  para- 
graph affords  the  reply  : 

"  Monday  being  the  anniversary  of  the  commence- 
ment of  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey's  labors  in  Glas- 
gow, an  all-day  meeting  was  held  in  Ewing  Place 
Church.  The  meeting  was  in  every  respect  success- 
ful, the  church  being  crowded  from  the  beginning  to 
the  close  of  the  proceedings.  The  subject  for  the  first 
hour — from  twelve  to  one — was  introduced  by  Dr. 
A:  Thompson,  of  Edinburgh,  who  delivered  an  ap- 
propriate address  on  '  Prayer  ; '  various  other  gentle- 
men also  took  part.  Dr.  A.  Bonar  took  the  chair  from 
one  to  two,  and  opened  up  the  subject  of  '  Praise,' 
which  was  afterwards  spoken  of  in  an  interesting 
and  instructive  manner  by  several  ministers  and  lay- 
men present.  In  taking  up  the  subject  for  the  third 
hour,  namely  :  '  What  more  can  be  done  for  the 
lapsed  masses?'  the  Pev.  TVm.  Arnot  presided.  At 
the  close  it  was  unanimously  resolved  to  send  a  tele- 
gram to  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey,  expressive  of 
gratitude  for  the  work  they  did  while  in  Glasgow, 
and  assuring  them  of  continued  and  prayerful  inter- 
est in  their  welfare.  In  the  evening  a  fellowship 
meeting  was  held,  when  the  church  was  again 
crowded." 


CHAPTER     IX. 

THE  TRUTHS  TAUGHT. 

What  does  Mr.  Moody  preach  ?  This  is  a  natural 
question.  "We  shall  furnish  an  answer  by  allowing 
him  to  speak  for  himself,  and  giving  specimens  of  his 
addresses  on  practical  topics,  as  reported  with  care 
and  fidelity  in  such  organs  as  The  British  Evangel- 
ist, Times  of  Blessing,  etc. 

The  Qualifications  for  Soul- Winning.* 

Dan.  xii.  3. 
If  we  would  be  soul-winners,  we  must — 

1.  Shake  off  the  vipers  that  are  in  the  Church,  for- 
malism, pride,  and  self-importance,  etc. 

2.  It  is  the  only  happy  life  to  live  for  the  salvation 
of  souls. 

3.  We  must  be  willing  to  do  little  things  for  Christ. 

4.  Must  be  of  good  courage. 

5.  Must  be  cheerful. 

God  had  no  children  too  weak,  but  a  great  many 

*  Delivered  in  Rev.  Dr.  Bonar's  church,  Edinburgh,  7th   De- 
cember, 1873. 


0 OD'S  INSTR  UMENTS.  395 

too  strong  to  make  use  of.  God,  he  continued,  stands 
in  no  need  of  our  strength  or  wisdom,  but  of  our 
ignorance,  of  our  weakness  ;  let  us  but  give  these  to 
Him,  and  He  can  make  use  of  us  in  winning  souls. 

Now  we  all  want  to  shine ;  the  mother  wishes  it 
for  her  boy,  when  she  sends  him  to  school,  the  father 
for  his  lad,  when  he  goes  off  to  college  ;  and  here 
God  tells  us  who  are  to  shine — not  statesmen,  or  war- 
riors, or  such  like,  that  shine  but  for  a  season — but 
such  as  will  shine  for  ever  and  ever ;  those,  namely, 
who  win  souls  to  Christ ;  the  little  boy  even  who 
persuades  one  to  come  to  Christ. 

Speaking  of  this,  Paul  counts  up  five  things  that 
God  makes  use  of — the  weak  things,  the  foolish 
things,  the  base  things,  the  despised  things,  and  the 
things  which  are  not,  and  for  this  purpose,  that  no 
flesh  might  glory  in  his  sight — all  five  being  just  such 
as  we  should  despise.  He  can  and  will  use  us,  just 
when  we  are  willing  to  be  humble  for  Christ's  sake, 
and  so  for  six  thousand  years  God  has  been  teaching 
men  ;  so  with  an  ass's  jawbone  Samson  slew  his  thou- 
sands, so  at  the  blowing  of  rams'  horns  the  walls  of 
Jericho  fell.  Let  God  work  in  His  own  way,  and 
with  His  own  instruments ;  let  us  all  rejoice  that  He 


396  VIPERS  SHAKEN  OFF. 

should,  and  let  us  too  get  into  the  position  in  which 
God  can  use  us. 

There  is  much  mourning  to-day  over  false  "  isms," 
infidelity,  and  the  like,  but  sum  them  all  up,  and  I 
do  not  fear  them  one  half  so  much  as  that  dead  and 
cold  formalism  that  has  crept  into  the  Church  of  God. 
The  unbelieving  world,  and  these  skeptics  holding 
out  their  false  lights,  are  watching  you  and  me : 
when  Jacob  put  away  his  idols,  he  could  go  up  to 
Bethel  and  get  strength  and  the  blessing — so  will  it 
be  with  the  Church  of  God.  A  viper  fixes  upon  the 
hand  of  the  shipwrecked  Paul;  immediately  he  is 
judged  by  the  barbarians  some  criminal  unfit  to  live ; 
but  he  shakes  it  off  into  the  fire,  and  suffers  no  harm, 
and  now  they  are  ready  to  worship  him,  and  ready 
too  to  hear  and  receive  his  message :  the  Church  of 
God  must  shake  off  the  vipers  that  have  fastened  on 
hand  and  heart  too,  ere  men  will  hear.  Where  one 
ungodly  man  reads  this  Bible,  a  hundred  read  you 
and  me :  and  if  they  find  nothing  in  us,  they  set  the 
whole  thing  aside  as  a  myth. 

Again,  a  man  who  has  found  out  what  his  true 
work  is,  winning  souls  to  Christ,  and  does  it,  such  is 
the  happiest  man.     ISTot  the  richest  are  this — least  of 


UNLIKEL  Y  AGENTS.  397 

all  those  who  have  just  got  converted  for  themselves, 
and  into  the  Church — lost  what  pleasure  the  world 
could  give,  and  found  none  other.  Job's  captivity 
turned  away  when  he  began  praying  for  his  friends ; 
and  so  will  all  who  thus  work  for  others  shine  not  in 
heaven  alone  and  hereafter,  but  here  as  well,  and  now. 
But  you  say  "  I  haven't  got  the  ability."  Well, 
God  doesn't  call  you  to  do  Dr.  Bonar's  work,  or  Dr. 
Duff's  work,  else  He  had  given  you  their  ability,  their 
talent.  The  word  is,  "  To  every  man  his  work."  I 
have  a  work  to  do,  laid  out  for  me  in  the  secret  coun- 
sels of  eternity  ;  no  other  can  do  it.  If  I  neglect  it, 
it  is  not  true  that  some  other  will  do  it ;  it  will  re- 
main undone.  And  if,  for  the  work  laid  upon  us, 
we  feel  we  have  not  the  ability  or  talent  necessary, 
then  we  have  a  throne  of  grace  ;  and  God  never  sends, 
unless  that  He  is  willing  to  give  the  strength  and 
wisdom.  The  instruments  He  often  uses  may  seem 
all  unlikely,  yet  when  did  they  fail  ? — when  once  ? 
and  why  not  ?  Because  He  had  fitted  them  out  as 
well.  He  sent  Moses  to  Egypt  to  deliver  His  people 
— not  an  eloquent,  but  a  stuttering  man.  He  refuses  a 
while,  at  last  he  went ;  and  no  man  once  sent  by  God 
ever  did  break  down.     So  was  Elisha  a  most  unlikely 


398  «B  TTT  FIVE  LITTLE  BO TB." 

man  to  be  a  successor  to  the  great  prophet  Elijah. 
Men  would  have  chosen  some  famous  man,  some  pro- 
fessor in  the  school  of  the  prophets.  God  took  one 
from  the  plough  ;  but  He  gave  him  what  was  needed. 
Elisha  had  but  to  keep  by  his  master  to  the  end  ;  and 
he  received  even  a  double  portion  of  the  Spirit.  And 
if  we  want  to  get  it,  we  too  must  keep  by  the  Lord, 
nor  ever  lose  sight  of  Him,  should  He,  as  Elijah 
Elisha,  in  one  way  or  another  try  our  faith. 

And  further,  we  must  be  ready  to  do  little  things 
for  God ;  many  are  willing  to  do  the  great  things. 
I  dare  say  hundreds  would  have  been  ready  to  occupy 
this  pulpit  to-day.  How  many  of  them  would  be 
as  willing  to  teach  a  dirty  class  in  the  ragged  school  % 

I  remember,  one  afternoon  I  was  preaching,  observ- 
ing a  young  lady  from  the  house  I  was  staying  at,  in 
the  audience.  I  had  heard  she  taught  in  the  Sabbath- 
school,  which  I  knew  was  at  the  same  hour;  and  so  I 
asked  her,  after  service,  how  she  came  to  be  there  ? 
"  Oh,"  said  she,  "  my  class .  is  but  five  little  boys, 
and  I  thought  it  did  not  matter  for  them."  And  yet 
among  these  there  might  have  been,  who  knows,  a 
Luther  or  a  Knox,  the  beginning  of  a  stream  of  bless- 
ing, that  would  have  gone  on  widening  and   ever 


AMONG  THE  ANGELS.  399 

widening  ;  and  besides,  one  soul  is  worth  all  the  king- 
doms of  the  earth. 

Away  in  America,  a  young  lad y  was  sent  to  a  board- 
ing-school, and  was  there  led  to  Christ ;  not  only  so, 
but  taught  that  she  ought  to  work  for  Him,  By- 
and-by  she  goes  home,  and  now  she  seeks,  in  one  way 
and  another,  to  work  for  Him,  but  without  finding 
how.  She  asks  for  a  class  in  her  church  Sunday- 
school,  but  the  superintendent  is  obliged  to  tell  her 
that  he  has  already  more  than  enough  of  teachers. 
One  day,  going  along  the  street,  she  sees  a  little  boy 
struck  by  his  companion,  and  crying  bitterly.  She 
goes  up  and  speaks  to  him  ;  asks  him  what  the  trouble 
is  ?  The  boy  thinks  she  is  mocking  him,  and  replies 
sullenly.  She  speaks  kindly,  tries  to  persuade  him 
to  school.  He  does  not  want  to  learn.  She  coaxes 
him  to  come  and  hear  her  and  the  rest  singing  there ; 
and  so  next  Sunday  he  comes  with  her.  She  gets  a 
corner  in  the  school  of  well-dressed  scholars  for  her- 
self and  her  charge.  He  sits  and  listens,  full  of  won- 
der. On  going  home,  he  tells  his  mother  he  has 
been  among  the  angels.  At  first  at  a  loss,  she  be- 
comes angry,  when  a  question  or  two  brings  out  that 
he  has  been  to  a  Protestant  Sunday-school ;  and  the 


400  ■  •  0  OUTG  TO  HE  A  VMM. 

father,  on  coming  home,  forbids  his  going  back,  on 
pain  of  flogging.  Xext  Sunday,  however,  he  goes, 
and  is  flogged,  and  so  again,  and  yet  again,  till  one 
Sunday,  he  begs  to  be  flogged  before  going,  that  he 
may  not  be  kept  thinking  of  it  all  the  time.  The  father 
relents  a  little,  and  promises  him  a  holiday  every  Sat- 
urday afternoon,  if  he  will  not  go  to  Sunday-school. 
The  lad  agrees,  sees  his  teacher,  who  offers  to  teach 
him  then.  How  many  wealthy  young  folks  would 
give  np  their  Saturdays  to  train  one  poor  ragged 
urchin  in  the  way  of  salvation  ?  Some  time  after,  at 
his  work,  the  lad  is  on  one  of  the  railway  cars.  The 
train  starts  suddenly;  he  slips  through,  and  the  wheels 
pass  over  his  legs  ;  he  asks  the  doctor  if  he  will  live 
to  get  home;  it  is  impossible.  "Then,"  says  he, 
"  tell  father  and  mother  that  I  am  going  to  heaven, 
and  want  to  meet  them  there."  Will  the  work  she 
did  seem  little  now  to  the  young  lady  ?  Or  is  it 
nothing  that  even  one  thus  grateful  waits  her  yonder? 
Another  thing  we  want  is,  to  be  of  good  courage. 
Three  or  four  times  this  comes  out  in  the  first  chapter 
of  Joshua ;  and  I  have  observed  that  God  never  uses 
a  man  that  is  always  looking  on  the  dark  side  of  things : 
what  we  do  for  Him  let  us  do  cheerfully,  not  because 


±:i 


:>ur  duty — not  that  we  should  sweep  away  the 
word  but  because  it  is  our  privilege-  What  would 
my  wife  or  children  say  if  I  spoke  of  loving  them 
because  it  was  my  duty  to  do  so  !  And  my  mother 
— if  I  go  to  nee  her  once  a  year,  and  were  :  say — 
a  Mother,  I  am  come  all  this  way  to  discharge  what  I 
feel  to  be  my  duty  in  visiting  you ; "  might  she  not 
rightly  reply — ••  My  son,  if  this  is  all  that  has  brought 
.  might  have  spared  coming  at  all !  n  and  go 
down  in  broken-hearted  sorrow  to  the  grav 

A  London  minister,  a  friend  of  mine,  lately  pointed 
out  a  family  of  seven,  all  of  whom  he  was  just  reeeiv- 

_  into  the  Church.  Their  story  was  this :  going  to 
church,  he  had  to  pass  by  a  window,  looking  up  at 
which  one  day,  he  saw  a  baby  looking  out ;  he  smiled 
— the  baby  smiled  again.  Xext  time  he  passes  he 
looks  up  again,  smiles,  and  the  baby  smiles  back.  A 
third  time  going  by,  he  looks  up,  and  seeing  the  I 
throws  it  a  IdsB — which  the  baby  returns  to  him. 
Time  after  time  he  has  to  pass  the  window,  and  now 
cannot  refrain  from  looking  up  each  time :  and  each 
time  :..-.:■  <.-  s-.vc-  :".:■:•: e  :.:-.-:s  :;  :_viv,  :.•;?  ?-...; '.■/.-._; 
g  *  -  :  till  by-and-by  he  sees  the  whole  family 
:    the   window — father,    mother,   and   all. 


402  ALL  BY  A  SMILE. 

The  father  conjectures  the  happy,  smiling  stranger 
must  be  a  minister,  and  so,  next  Sunday  morning, 
after  they  have  received  at  the  window  the  usual  greet- 
ing, two  of  the  children,  ready  dressed,  are  sent  out  to 
follow  him  :  they  enter  his  church,  hear  him  preach, 
and  carry  back  to  their  parents  the  report  that  they 
never  heard  such  preaching ;  and  what  preaching  could 
equal  that  of  one  who  had  so  smiled  on  them  ? 
Soon  the  rest  come  to  the  church  too,  and  are  brought 
in — all  by  a  smile.  Let  us  not  go  about,  hanging  our 
heads  like  a  bulrush ;  if  Christ  gives  joy,  let  us  live  it ! 
The  whole  world  is  in  all  matters  for  the  very  best 
thing — you  always  want  to  get  the  best  possible  thing 
for  your  money;  let  us  show,  then,  that  our  religion 
is  the  very  best  thing:  men  with  long,  gloomy  faces 
are  never  wise  in  the  winning  of  souls. 

I  was  preaching  in  Jacksonville,  and,  at  the  house 
in  which  I  stayed,  my  attention  was  attracted  by  a 
little  boy,  who  bore  a  different  name  from  the  house- 
hold, and  yet  was  in  all  things  and  in  all  respects 
treated  as  one  of  themselves ;  to  the  other  children 
he  was  "  brother,"  and  they  were  "  brothers "  and 
"  sisters"  to  him,  and  with  them  he  came  up  to  the 
mother  for  the  same  good-night  kiss.     By-and-by  I 


ALL  FOR  CHRIST.  403 

asked  the  lady  of  the  house  who  it  was.  She  told  me 
the  father  of  the  boy  was  a  missionary  out  in  India ; 
some  years  before,  father  and  mother  had  come  home 
with  their  five  children  to  have  them  educated.  After 
being  home  a  short  time,  the  father  resolved  to 
return  to  India,  wishing  to  leave  the  mother  with  the 
children  till  their  education  should  be  finished.  She 
wanted  to  go  back  with  him ;  he  opposed  to  it,  saying 
it  was  hard  enough  for  him  to  leave  them,  for  her  it 
must  be  impossible.  Still  she  wished  to  go, — she  had 
received  and  been  some  blessing  in  India, — and  she 
would  give  up  even  all  for  Christ.  Ultimately  it  was 
arranged  that  the  children  should  be  received  into 
various  families, — treated  as  part  of  them, — and  that 
father  and  mother  together  should  return.  So  with 
the  boy  the  mother  came  to  this  friend's  and  stayed  a 
few  days  along  with  him.  The  night  before  she  had 
to  leave,  sitting  with  the  lady  of  the  house,  she  told 
her  how  anxious  she  was  that  her  boy  should  receive 
the  impression  that  his  mother  had  for  Christ's  sake 
cheerfully  left  him  behind,  and  that  for  this  end  she 
wished  to  leave  him  without  a  tear  at  parting.  The 
struggle  this  would  cost  the  lady  well  knew,  especially 
as  the  boy  was  of  a  peculiarly  amiable  disposition. 


404  THE  LORD'S  WORKERS. 

JSText  morning,  passing  the  door  of  the  mother's  room, 
the  lady  overheard  a  sobbing,  struggling  prayer  for 
strength  to  do  what  was  on  her  heart  to  do.  In  a 
short  time  the  mother  came  down  with  smiling, 
cheerful  face  ;  and  looking  so,  she  took  leave  of  her 
boy,  to  go  by  rail  some  miles  further  on  to  bid  a  like 
farewell  to  another  of  her  family.  She  went  with 
her  husband  to  India.  A  short  year  after,  a  still, 
quiet  voice  came  to  her,  to  come  up  to  meet  her 
Saviour.  And  would  not  a  welcome  await  her  there, 
who  had  so  loved  Him  here,  and  so  cheerfully  served 
Him  % 

They  that  be  wise  shall  shine,  etc.  The  Lord  help 
us  as  humbly,  devoutly,  and  cheerfully  to  abound  in 
His  work ! 

The  Lord's  Workers.* 

What  men  want  in  doing  the  Lord's  work  is  (1) 
Courage,  (2)  Enthusiasm,  (3)  Perseverance,  (4)  Sym- 
pathy. 

The  man  who  is  afraid,  who  holds  down  his  head 
like  a  bulrush,  is  not  the  worker  whom  God   will 

*  Delivered  to  young  men  in  Edinburgh,  14th  Dec,  1873. 


COURAGE.  405 


bless ;  but  God  gives  courage  to  him  whom  He  means  to 
use.  I  have  been  all  along  with  young  men,  and  a 
great  portion  of  my  work  these  fifteen  years  has  been 
among  them,  and  I  find  that  they  generally  fail  for 
want  of  courage.  There  is  any  quantity  of  young 
men  in  Edinburgh  just  now  whose  lives  are  a  blank 
to  them,  and  who  have  not  discovered  that  God  sends 
us  to  do  work  for  Him.  He  can  qualify  them  for 
that  work.  John  Wesley  said,  "  Give  me  thirty  men 
of  faith,  and  I  shall  storm  the  citadel  of  Satan  and 
win  it  for  Christ ;  "  and  he  did  it  too.  Talk  of  Alex- 
ander being  a  great  conqueror,  he  was  nothing  com- 
pared with  that  little  man,  Saul  of  Tarsus.  Once  I 
had  been  fishing  long,  and  caught  nothing,  and  I 
almost  got  discouraged.  My  Sabbath  services  were 
barren  one  day,  and  I  was  greatly  disheartened.  My 
heart  was  down,  and  my  head  was  down.  In  came  a 
brother.  "How  does  the  work  goon  with  you?" 
I  asked  of  a  fellow- worker.  "Splendidly,"  he  said. 
"  Great  blessing  on  Sabbath."  I  told  him  my  state 
of  mind.  He  said,  "  Did  you  ever  study  the  life  and 
character  of  Xoah  ? "  "Yes;  I  know  it  by  heart." 
"  Well,"  said  he,  "  study  it  again."  And  I  did  so,  and 
I  found  in  him  wonderful  courage.     For  one  hundred 


406  ENTHUSIASM. 


and  twenty  years  that  the  ark  was  building,  he  la- 
bored to  get  men  to  believe  in  God's  righteousness. 
He  did  not  get  one,  and  I  said,  "  What  have  I  to  be 
discouraged  about  after  that  ?  "  Sol  went  down  to 
the  prayer-meeting,  and  a  man  behind  me  clasped  me 
by  the  hand,  and  said,  "  Pray  for  me,  for  I  am  in 
great  trouble."  And  I  thought  what  would  Noah 
have  given  for  encouragement  like  that !  And  a 
man  rose  up,  and  told  that  a  hundred  young  men 
had  just  come  to  Christ  in  a  neighboring  town. 
What  would  old  Noah  have  said  to  that  ?  One  hun- 
dred and  twenty  years,  and  no  fruit  at  all ;  and  yet 
he  had  courage  to  go  on  preaching !  All  at  once  the 
clouds  were  all  gone  from  my  mind.  If  you  get  dis- 
couraged, keep  it  to  yourself;  don't  tell  anyone  about 
it ;  for  you  will  just  discourage  others  if  you  do. 
Be  strong  and  very  courageous  if  you  would  do  any- 
thing for  God. 

2.  Enthusias7n. — We  need  more  enthusiasm.  The 
more  we  have  the  better.  I  have  a  great  admiration 
for  Garibaldi,  though* I  cannot,  of  course,  approve  of 
all  his  acts.  When  put  in  prison  he  said,  "  It  were 
better  that  fifty  Garibaldis  should  perish,  than  that 
Home  should  not  be  free."     This  was  the  cause  get- 


COMPLETE  DEVOTION.  407 

ting  above  the  man  ;  that  is  what  we  want.  We 
want  to  forget  ourselves.  There  are  one  hundred 
thousand  men  waiting  now  to  be  brought  to  Christ, 
to  be  invited  to  come  to  Him,  and  shall  we  hang 
back  \  Let  us  have  enthusiasm.  This  formalism 
that  abounds  at  the  present  day,  is  the  worst  ism  of 
all — it  is  worse  than  all  the  infidelity  and  skepticism 
of  the  land.  I  remember  reading  in  some  history  of 
the  ninth  century  of  a  young  general  who  with  only 
five  hundred  men  came  up  against  a  king  with  twenty 
thousand.  And  the  king  sent  to  him  to  say  that  it 
was  the  height  of  folly  to  resist  with  his  handful  of 
men.  The  general  called  in  one  of  his  men,  and  said, 
-•  Take  that  sword  and  drive  it  to  your  heart."  And 
the  man  took  the  weapon,  and  drove  it  to  his  heart, 
and  fell  dead.  He  said  to  another,  "  Leap  into  yon- 
der chasm,"  and  the  man  instantly  obeyed.  Then, 
turning  to  the  messenger,  he  said,  "  Go  back  and  tell 
your  king  that  we  have  five  hundred  such  men.  AVe 
will  die  but  we  will  never  surrender."  The  messen- 
ger returned,  and  his  tale  struck  terror  into  the  hearts 
of  the  king's  soldiers,  so  that  they  fled  like  chaff  be- 
fore the  wind.  God  says,  "  One  shall  chase  a  thou- 
sand, and  two  put  ten  thousand  to  flight."     Let  us 


408  A  FRIEND  OF  CHRIST'S. 

have  confidence  in  God.  When  men  are  in  earnest 
they  carry  everything  before  them.  The  world  don't 
read  the  Bible,  but  they  read  yon  and  me. 

3.  P 'er 'severance. — The  men  who  have  been  suc- 
cessful are  not  those  who  work  by  fits  and  starts,  but 
three  hundred  and  sixty-five  days  in  the  year.  By 
the  grace  of  God,  these  eighteen  years  I  have  been 
kept  working  for  God.  People  complain  how  cold 
other  people  are :  that  is  a  sign  that  they  are  cold 
themselves.  Keep  your  own  heart  warm,  as  if  there 
were  no  other  but  you  in  the  world.  Keep  working 
all  the  time  at  steady,  constant  work.  For  the  last 
eleven  years  I  have  not  let  a  day  pass  without  saying 
something  to  somebody  of  Christ.  Make  it  a  rule 
that  never  a  day  pass  without  speaking  for  Christ. 
People  won't  like  it.  If  you  are  a  living  witness  for 
Christ  it  makes  people  mad  against  you.  You  will 
suffer  persecution,  and  be  spoken  against,  and  yet 
they  will  send  for  such  a  man  first  when  they  are  in 
trouble  or  on  their  death-bed.  The  man  that  is  popu- 
lar with  the  world  is  not  a  friend  of  Jesus.  You 
cannot  serve  two  masters.  The  world  hates  Christ, 
and  if  you  are  a  friend  of  the  world  you  cannot  be 
a  friend  of  His.     You  may  be  sure  that  something 


PERSEVERANCE.  409 

is  wrong-  with  you  when  everybody  is  your  friend. 
Every  man  here  can  win  souls  for  Christ. 

The  public-houses  in  America  are  called  "  saloons." 
There  is  a  hall  with  a  bar,  and  behind,  a  dining-room, 
and  above,  sleeping-apartments,  and  in  these  saloons 
the  young  men  congregate  at  night,  and  drink  and 
gamble.  There  was  a  terribly  wicked  man  who  kept 
a  saloon,  whose  children  I  was  very  anxious  to  draw 
to  my  Sabbath-school.  So  one  day  I  called  on  this 
man  and  said,  "Mr.  Bell,  I  want  you  to  let  your 
children  come  to  the  Sabbath-school."  He  was  ter- 
ribly angry,  said  he  did  not  believe  in  the  Bible, 
school  or  anything  else,  and  ordered  me  to  leave  the 
house. 

Soon  after  I  went  down  again  and  called  on  this 
man,  and  asked  him  to  go  to  church,  and  again  he 
was  very  angry.  He  said  that  he  had  not  been  at 
church  for  nineteen  years,  and  would  never  go  again, 
and  he  would  rather  see  his  boy  a  drunkard  and  his 
daughter  a  harlot  than  that  they  should  attend  the  Sab- 
bath-school. A  second  time  I  was  forced  to  leave  the 
house. 

Two  or  three  days  after  I  called  again,  and  he  said, 

k*  Well,  I  guess  you  are  a  pretty  good-natured  sort  of 
18 


410  PREACHING  IN  A  SALOON. 

man,  and  different  from  the  rest  of  Christians,  or  you 
would  not  come  back ; "  so  seeing  him  in  a  good  humor, 
I  asked  him  what  he  had  to  say  against  Christ,  and  if 
he  had  read  His  life  :  and  he  asked  me  what  I  had  to 
say  against  Paine' s  "  Age  of  Reason,"  and  if  I  had 
read  it.  I  said  I  had  not  read  it :  whereupon  he  said 
he  would  read  the  New  Testament,  if  I  would  read 
the  "Age  of  Reason,"  to  which  I  at  once  agreed, 
though  he  had  the  best  bargain  :  and  I  did  so.  I 
did  not  like  it  much,  and  would  not  advise  any  per- 
son to  read  it.  I  asked  Mr.  Bell  to  come  to  church, 
but  he  said  they  were  all  hypocrites  that  went  to 
church.  This  he  would  do,  however  :  I  might  come 
to  his  house  if  I  liked,  and  preach.  "  Here,  in  this 
saloon  ?  "  "  Yes  !  but  look  here,  you  are  not  to  do 
all  the  talking ; "  he  said  that  he  and  his  friends 
would  have  their  say  as  well  as  I.  I  agreed  that 
they  might  have  the  first  forty-five  minutes,  and  I 
the  last  fifteen  of  the  hour,  which  he  thought  fair, 
and  that  was  settled.  The  day  came,  and  I  went  to 
keep  my  appointment,  but  I  never  in  all  my  life  met 
such  a  crowd  as  when  on  the  day  appointed  I  went 
to  that  saloon — such  a  collection  of  infidels,  deists,  and 
reprobates  of  all  kinds  I  never  saw  before.     Their 


A  CHILD'S  PRAYER.  411 

oaths  and  language  were  horrible.  Some  of  them 
seemed  as  if  they  had  come  on  leave  of  absence  from 
the  pit.  I  never  was  so  near  hell  before.  They  be- 
gan to  talk  in  the  most  blasphemous  way ;  some 
thought  one  thing,  some  another;  some  believed  there 
was  a  God — others  not;  some  thought  there  was  such 
a  man  as  Jesus  Christ — others  that  there  never  was  ; 
some  didn't  believe  anything.  They  couldn't  agree, 
contradicted  each  other,  and  very  nearly  came  to 
fighting  with  one  another  before  their  time  had  ex- 
pired. 

I  had  brought  down  a  little  boy,  an  orphan  with  me, 
and  when  I  saw  and  heard  such  blasphemy  I  thought 
I  had  done  wrong  to  bring  him  there.  When  their 
time  was  up,  I  said  that  we  Christians  always  began 
service  with  prayer  to  God.  "  Hold,"  said  they  ; 
"  two  must  be  agreed  first."  "  Well,  here  are  two  of 
us."  And  so  I  prayed,  and  then  the  little  boy  did  so, 
and  I  never  heard  a  prayer  like  that  in  all  my  life. 
It  seemed  as  if  God  was  speaking  through  that  little 
boy.  With  tears  running  down  his  cheeks  he  be- 
sought God,  for  Christ's  sake,  to  take  pity  on  all 
these  poor  men  ;  and  that  went  to  their  very  hearts. 
I  heard  sobs  throughout  the   hall,  and   one   infidel 


412  "  THIS  ONE  THING." 

went  out  at  this  door  and  another  at  that ;  and  Mr. 
Bell  came  up  to  me  and  said,  "  You  can  have  my 
children,  Mr.  Moody."  And  the  best  friend  that  I 
have  in  Chicago  to-day  is  that  same  Joshua  Bell,  and 
his  son  has  come  out  for  Christ  and  as  a  worker  for 
Him. 

There  was  a  family  which  for  fourteen  years  I 
had  tried  to  draw  to  Christ,  but  they  would  not  come, 
and  I  had  almost  given  them  up  as  hopeless.  We 
have  a  custom  on  New  Year's  Day  in  America  of 
calling  on  our  friends  and  acquaintances,  and  wishing 
them  the  compliments  of  the  season.  Last  New 
Year's  Day  I  thought  I  should  call  on  the  old  doctor, 
which  I  did,  and  I  offered  up  just  a  short  prayer. 
That  week  he  and  his  wife  came  to  Christ,  and  next 
week  his  son,  and  a  few  days  after  his  daughter,  and 
now  the  whole  family  are  converted. 

"  This  one  thing  1  do"  said  Paul.  He  had  re- 
ceived thirty-nine  stripes,  and  if  he  had  other  thirty- 
nine  stripes  to  receive,  "  This  one  thing  I  do  ;  "  for- 
getting the  things  that  "  are  behind,  I  press  towards 
the  mark."  A  terrible  man  he  was — this  man  of  one 
thing  and  one  aim,  and  determined  to  go  on  doing  it. 
u  To  every  man  his  work  "  (Mark  xiii.  34).     If  bless- 


THE  STRANGERS.  413 


ing  don't  come  this  week,  it  will  come  the  next,  only 
persevere.  Be  of  good  courage,  Christ  will  strengthen 
your  heart. 

4.  Sympathy  to  touch  the  hearts  of  men  is  needed 
too.  Some  men  have  courage,  perseverance,  and 
zeal,  but  their  hearts  are  as  cold  as  an  icicle.  Christ 
might  have  been  born  in  a  palace  had  He  chosen,  but 
poor  men  would  have  said  He  had  not  come  for  them ; 
but  He  was  born  in  a  manger,  lower  than  their  own 
rank  of  life.  The  minister  who  speaks  to  people  as 
if  he  were  separate  from  them,  that  tells  them  what 
they  should  do,  this  and  that,  will  not  carry  them 
with  him.  To  speak  to  men  from  a  higher  platform 
is  not  the  way  to  do  them  good.  It  should  be  what 
we  do, — we  poor  sinners,  and  you.  The  milk  of 
human  kindness  is  a  great  element  in  bringing  souls 
to  Christ. 

We  have,  in  Chicago,  a  meeting  for  strangers  ;  and 
it  is  most  blessed.  Every  Monday  night,  seventy-five 
to  a  hundred  young  men  newly  arrived  in  the  city, 
assemble  to  find  friends.  A  young  man  coming  from 
the  country  to  a  situation,  or  to  college  in  town,  feels 
very  lonely.  He  walks  the  street,  and  has  no  one,  of 
all  the  crowds,  to  speak  to  him,  and  he  is  miserable. 


414  in  NEED  OF  A  FRIEND. 

That  is  the  time  when  his  heart  is  softest ;  then,  if 
any  one  speaks  to  him  or  shows  him  acts  of  kind- 
ness, he  never  forgets  it.  The  devil  watches  for 
friendless  youths  like  those  ;  and  the  ensnaring  paths 
of  vice  seem  refuges  from  loneliness.  Such  a  young 
man,  walking  along  the  street,  sees  a  big  brown  paper 
pasted  on  a  boarding,  or  at  a  railway  station,  or  some- 
where else,  having  painted  on  it,  "  Strangers'  Meet- 
ing to-night.  All  strangers  invited  to  attend."  So 
he  goes,  and  meets  a  kind  look  and  words  of  friend- 
ship, and  it  is  better  to  him  than  anything  in  the 
world. 

During  our  war,  there  was  a  Southern  man  who 
came  over  to  a  Wisconsin  regiment,  saying  he  could 
not  fight  to  uphold  slavery.  Some  time  after,  the 
mail  from  the  north  came  in,  and  all  the  men  got 
letters  from  their  relations,  and  universal  joy  pre- 
vailed. This  Southern  man  said  he  wished  he  were 
dead  ;  he  was  most  unhappy,  for  there  were  no  let- 
ters for  him.  His  mother  was  dead,  and  his  father 
and  brothers  would  have  shot  him  if  they  could,  for 
going  against  them.  This  man's  tent-mate  was  very 
sorry  for  his  friend,  and  when  he  wrote  to  his  mother 
in  "Wisconsin,  he  just  told   her  all  about  it.     His 


PO  WEE  OF  LO  YE.  415 

mother  sat  down  and  wrote  to  lier  son's  friend.  She 
called  him  her  son,  and  spoke  to  him  like  a  mother. 
She  told  him,  when  the  war  was  over  that  he  must 
come  to  her,  and  that  her  home  would  be  his.  When 
the  letter  reached  the  regiment,  the  chaplain  took  it 
down  to  where  this  man  wTas  standing,  and  told  him 
it  was  for  him  ;  but  he  said  it  was  a  mistake,  that  no- 
body would  write  to  him  ;  he  had  no  friends,  it  must 
be  for  some  one  else.  He  was  persuaded  to  open  it, 
and  when  he  read  it,  he  felt  such  joy.  He  went 
down  the  lines,  saying,  "  Tve  got  a  mother  !  "  "When 
afterwards  the  regiment  was  disbanded,  and  the  men 
were  returning  to  their  homes,  there  was  none  who 
showed  so  much  anxiety  as  this  man  to  get  to  his 
mother  in  "Wisconsin. 

There  are  hundreds  of  young  men  who  want 
mothers,  and  any  kindness  done  to  them  will  not 
lose  its  reward.* 

*  The  intensity  of  the  feeling  under  the  burning  words  of  Mr. 
Moody  may  be  judged  of  from  the  effect  being  such  that,  at  the 
close,  there  was  a  great  burst  of  applause  with  hands  and  feet 
just  commencing,  when  Mr.  Moody  checked  it,  by  quietly  lifting 
his  hand  and  saying,  "  We  don't  want  applause  :  and  mind,  it's 
Sunday!  " 


416  THE  BLOOD. 


The  Blood.* 

"  Some  inquirers  come  to  me  over  and  over  again, 
and  never  seem  to  get  on,  but  go  round  and  round 
like  a  horse  in  a  mill.  They  don't  rest  where  God 
rests — in  the  blood  of  Christ.  Blood  runs  throughout 
the  whole  Bible.  Turn  with  me  to  Gen.  iii.  21.  JSTo 
sooner  had  Adam  fallen,  and  death  entered,  than  God 
interposed,  and  made  coats  of  skins  and  clothed  them. 
God  then  must  have  been  the  first  to  shed  blood ; 
God  covered  sin ;  God  dealt  in  love  with  Adam,  in 
justice  with  Christ,  when  the  blood  of  those  victims 
slain  came  between  Adam  and  his  sin.  Turn  again 
to  Gen.  iv.  4.  Abel  brought  blood.  Cain's  offering 
was  more  beautiful — the  fruit  of  the  ground.  You 
may  say  blood  is  repulsive,  hateful;  some  women 
faint  at  the  sight  of  blood,  but  by  blood  was  the  way 
God  marked  out  for  coming  to  Him,  from  the  very 
first,  and  Abel  came  by  that  way,  and  was  accepted. 
Any  religion  that  is  not  founded  on  'the  blood? 
comes  from  the  pit  of  hell.  There  is  no  other  foun- 
dation, any  other  is  not  God's  way.     The  world  is 

*  Delivered  in  the  Free  Church  Assembly  Hall,  Edinburgh, 
9th  December,  1873. 


THE  PASSOVER.  41' 


full  of  Caiiiites.  All  who  think  they  do  not  need  the 
blood  of  Christ  are  Camites. 

"Gen.  viii.  20,  21.  Sixteen  hundred  years  passed 
away.  God  saved  Noah  by  the  ark,  and  when  he  left 
it  he  offered  the  blood  of  every  clean  beast  and  fowl 
on  the  altar.  The  second  dispensation  was  founded 
on  blood ;  it  came  between  Noah  and  his  sin.  The 
world  was  set  up  afresh  under  Noah,  but  it  began 
from  the  blood. 

"  Gen.  xxii.  13.  Abraham  saw  Christ's  day,  and 
was  glad.  God  opened  his  eyes  probably  on  that  very 
Mount  Moriah,  after  the  sacrifice  of  the  ram  was 
over ;  and  he  saw  down  the  stream  of  time  the  great 
Atonement,  likely  the  identical  spot,  for  Mount  Cal- 
vary was  near  Mount  Moriah,  where  Christ  was  to  be 
offered.  God  so  loved  Abraham  that  He  spared  him 
his  son;  but  He  so  loved  you  that  He  gave  His  for 
vmu.  John  said,  '  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  that  tak- 
eth  away  the  sin  of  the  world.'  Abraham  was  glad 
when  he  saw  the  substitutionary  offering  of  Christ. 
All  went  in  all  ages  to  heaven  by  the  royal  highway 
of  the  blood. 

"  Exodus  xii.  13.  '  When  I  see  the  blood  I  will 
pass  over  you.'     He  does  not  say,  When  I  see  the 


418  LIVING  TO  CHRIST. 

live  lamb  tied  up  to  the  door-post,  I  will  pass  over 
you.  No  more  does  He  say,  When  I  see  the  living 
Christ  in  all  His  moral  glory  and  loveliness,  scatter- 
ing blessings  all  around  His  path,  I  will  pass  over 
you ;  but  when  I  see  the  blood,  c  for  without  shedding 
of  blood  is  no  remission.'  Sinner,  Christ  has  shed 
His  blood  for  you.  You  will  have  peace  looking  to 
His  blood  ;  you  will  be  safe  there,  or  you  will  be  ex- 
posed to  the  wrath  of  God  without  it.  When  you  go 
to  the  station,  and  take  a  "ticket  for  London,  and  seat 
yourself  in  the  train,  the  guard  will  come  to  look  at 
your  ticket ;  and  it  matters  not  to  him  whether  you 
are  black  or  white,  rich  or  poor,  so  long  as  you  have 
got  a  ticket.  He  looks  at  that,  not  you.  The  blood 
is  God's  ticket.  God  says,  Have  you  got  your  ticket 
or  '  token  V  If  you  are  behind  the  blood,  you  are  as 
safe  as  on  the  golden  pavement  of  heaven.  A  little 
sparrow  was  as  safe  in  the  ark  as  the  great  elephant. 
If  you  are  behind  the  blood  you  are  safe,  though  you 
die  to-night. 

"  Exodus  xii.  11.  They  were  to  eat  the  lamb,  as 
well  as  be  sheltered  by  its  blood.  You  should  not  be 
satisfied  with  being  safe.  You  should  eat  the  lamb. 
God's  elect  fed  on  the  lamb.     The  more  you  feed  on 


THE  CRIMSOM  THREAD.  419 

Him  the  stronger  you  will  become.  Feed  on  His 
Word ;  feed  on  Himself. 

"Exodus  xii.  2.  '  This  shall  be  the  beginning  of 
months  to  you.'  Everything  dates  from  the  blood ; 
IS 73  counts  back  to  Calvary,  and  begins  from  the 
blood.  Even  infidels  date  from  the  blood.  Israel's 
story,  for  four  hundred  years  of  slavery,  is  wiped  out. 
You  may  say  you  are  seventy-five  years  old,  but  you 
didn't  live  till  you  came  to  Christ.  I  was  born  twice, 
once  in  '37 ;  once  again  in  '55  ;  so  I  am  only  eighteen 
years  old.  Some  there  are  here  also,  who  are  only 
twenty-four  hours  old  to-night. 

"  Exodus  xxix.  16.  I  was  brought  up  to  think  that 
there  was  no  need  for  the  blood  of  Jesus,  and  when 
I  knew  better  I  went  back  to  my  native  town  and 
preached  on  the  atonement,  and  after  I  was  finished 
the  minister  of  the  place  was  very  angry,  and  said  to 
me  that  there  was  no  more  efficacy  in  the  blood  of 
Jesus  Christ  than  in  that  of  a  chicken.  That  is  Uni- 
tarianism.  That  doctrine  is  damnable.  If,  in  prayer, 
you  don't  come  to  God  through  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
you  may  as  well  talk  to  a  post.  Call  it  prayer !  It 
ain't.  If  you  cut  the  crimson  thread  that  binds  the 
Bible,  it  falls  to  pieces. 


420  ANGEL'S  FOOD. 


"  Exodus  xxx.  10.  The  sacrifice  of  atonement  was 
kept  up  year  after  year  till  Christ  came.  The  work 
was  never  done.  The  priest  in  Israel  never  sat  down. 
Christ  was  offered  once,  and  His  sacrifice  was  forever, 
thank  God.  Adam  and  Eve  were  in  God's  favor,  but 
the  devil  tripped  them  up,  and  the  precious  blood  of 
Jesus  reconciles  us  to  God.  We  are  'justified  by  His 
blood? 

"  Lev.  viii.  23.  The  ear  sheltered  behind  the  blood 
heard  the  voice  of  God,  and  the  hand  behind  the 
blood  did  what  was  pleasing  to  God.  The  unre- 
deemed may  give  money  and  build  churches,  think- 
ing that  they  will  please  God,  but  it  is  a  delusion. 
Till  they  get  behind  the  blood  their  offerings  are  an 
abomination  to  God.  Blood  upon  the  great  toe  de- 
noted walking  with  God.  God  often  visited  men,  as 
Adam  and  Abraham  and  others,  but  He  never  dwelt 
and  walked  with  His  people  till  blood  was  shed  and 
redemption  accomplished,  and  then  the  Red  Sea  fled 
as  He  walked  with  them  ;  angels'  food  came  to  them  ; 
the  rock  burst  .with  water  which  followed  them.  ~No 
man  could  resist  them  when  God  walked  with  them. 
And  we  will  always  be  in  trouble  about  government 
till  Christ  comes  back  again  to  reign,  and  then  men 


MERCY  AND  TRUTH.  421 

will  have  a  government  that  will  suit  them.  He  will 
be  back  again  one  day  and  set  up  His  kingdom,  but 
it  will  be  founded  on  the  blood.  Your  life  hangs  on 
tliis  word.  AVake  up  ;  for  you'll  never  get  to  heaven 
unless  you  are  floated  thither  on  the  crimson  tide  of 
Christ's  precious  blood. 

4i  Lev.  xvii.  11-14.  Some  people  say  they  hate  this 
subject  of  blood.  I  hated  it  once.  I  would  have 
walked  out  of  such  a  meeting  if  so  much  had  been 
said  about  it  as  is  now  said.  I  used  to  say  that  a  God 
who  demanded  blood  is  a  tyrant.  But  God  could  not 
save  without  it.  This  is  three  times  repeated.  Why  ? 
God  is  very  merciful,  but  He  is  just  too.  If  the 
queen  was  so  kind-hearted  as  not  to  punish  any  one, 
and  insisted  on  pardoning  every  murderer,  and  set- 
ting free  every  prisoner,  she  would  not  be  queen 
twenty-four  hours.  Every  woman  here  would  rise 
up  and  demand  that  she  should  not  be  queen.  If  you 
get  God's  mercy  you  get  His  justice  too :  they  go 
together.  He  rides  in  a  chariot  with  two  wheels 
rolling  side  by  side — justice  and  mercy.  God  said  to 
Adam,  '  On  the  day  thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt 
surely  die.'  Adam  sinned  and  he  died.  Jesus  was 
man's   substitute,  and  He  died   for   man,  for  God's 


422  «  KILLED  THE  PRINCE  OF  LIFE." 

justice  demanded  man's  life,  or  a  substitute  for  him. 
If  you  take  out  the  blood  from  my  Bible  you  may 
have  all  the  rest. 

"  1  Peter  ii.  24.  Who  is  a  substitute  for  you  ? 
Adam  sold  out  cheap  in  Eden;  don't  God  say  ye 
shall  be  redeemed  without  money  (1  Pet.  i.  18,  19). 
If  gold  could  have  redeemed  the  world,  God  would 
have  created  a  thousand  worlds  rather  than  take  the 
brightest  jewel  in  the  diadem  of  heaven,  but  God  de- 
manded life  alone,  and  gave  His  Son.  Consider  that 
God  gave  the  blood  of  His  Son,  and  you  don't  care 
for  it,  hate  it !  If  you  are  behind  the  blood  it  cries 
for  pardon  and  gives  peace — if  you  are  not,  it  cries 
for  damnation  !  '  Let  His  blood  be  on  us  and  on  our 
children,'  cried  the  murderers  of  Christ.  Oh  !  if  they 
had  added  '  to  save  usf  but  no,  it  was  to  condemn, 
for  they  cried,  Crucify  Him,  Crucify  Him,  and  it  has 
been  upon  them  and  their  children  ever  since,  for 
they  have  had  no  king  and  no  country,  but  are  a  hiss- 
ing and  reproach  to  the  nations,  and  even  the  little 
children  in  America  call  the  Jews  '  Christ-killers.' 

"  Not  long  ago  one  thousand  Jews  assembled  in 
Paris,  and  clapped  their  hands  in  applause  of  the 
sentiment  that  they  had  killed  the  Christians'  God. 


THE  CLEANSING  BLOOD.  423 

This  was  indorsing  the  fearful  wickedness  of  their 
fathers.  There  will  be  a  sad  prayer-meeting  one  day  : 
and  those  who  would  not  have  the  blood  to  cover  their 
sins,  will  have  to  call  on  the  rocks  to  fall  on  them 
and  cover  them !  Get  sheltered  now  by  the  blood, 
if  you  would  escape  in  the  days  of  His  wrath. 

"  He'll  prevail  by-and-by.  The  spear  forced  by  the 
Roman  soldier  into  the  side  of  Christ  was  the  crown- 
ing act  of  sin,  yet  blood  flowed  over  the  spear  and 
covered  it,  the  crowning  i  act  of  love.'  Without  shed- 
ding of  blood  is  no  remission.  You  may  say  prayers, 
and  build  churches,  but  without  the  blood  it  is  all 
useless.     Let  us  look  now  at — 

"  Heb.  x.  28.  Died  without  mercy.  Listen  ;  no  mer- 
cy !  What  will  you  do  with  the  blood  of  God's  own 
Son  ?  When  Jesus  left  this  earth  He  took  away  with 
Him  His  flesh  and  bones,  but  left  His  blood  drained 
out  for  you.  What  are  you  to  do  with  it  ?  The  key 
to  heaven  is  not  prayer,  as  the  little  hymn  says,  but 
blood. 

"  A  soldier  in  America  was  dying  in  the  time  of 
the  war,  and  he  was  heard  to  say,  '  Blood,  blood, 
blood.'  A  clergyman,  thinking  that  the  scenes  of 
bloodshed  on  the  battle-field  which   he  had  recently 


424  HE  A  YEN. 


witnessed  were  troubling  his  mind,  went  to  him  to  lead 
his  thoughts  to  brighter  themes.  '  I  wasn't  thinking  of 
the  battle-field,'  said  he,  '  but  of  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
which  has  covered  all  iny  sins.'  Some  make  light  of 
that  blood,  and  have  no  faith  in  it,  the  only  thing 
that  would  be  a  shelter  and  safety  for  them.  The 
dying  saint  of  whom  brother  Sankey  sang,  left  his 
wife  and  child  joyfully,  and  went  '  sweeping  through 
the  gates  into  the  kingdom,  washed  in  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb.'     That  was  a  victor's  shout. 

"  How  different  such  a  departure  from  the  coach- 
driver  in  California,  who,  feeling  with  his  foot  said, 
1  I'm  on  the  down  grade,  and  cannot  reach  the  brake,' 
and  died.  Oh !  shelter  yourselves  behind  the  blood 
of  Christ  Jesus,  He  will  save  every  one  who  believes 
in  Him." 

Heaven.* 

"  I  believe  that  heaven  is  real,  hell  is  real,  the  devil 
real.  God  is  real.  If  God  did  not  wish  us  to  speak 
about  heaven,  he  would  not  have  put  so  much  about 
it  in  the  Bible. 

*  Delivered  as  a  Bible  lecture.  The  report  is  from  the  notes 
of  a  hearer,  and  can  only  be  regarded  as  "  notes." 


THE  HOME  OF  JESUS.  425 

"  (1.)  Let  us  first  locate  heaven.  Where  is  it?  It  is 
said  in  Scripture  to  be  above.  God  went  up  from 
Abraham.  God  is  a  Person,  has  a  throne,  a  dwelling- 
place  (John  iii.  13).  The  angels  asked  the  disciples, 
'  "Why  stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven  ? '  Jesus  was 
1  received  up '  when  he  went  to  heaven.  Down 
from  God's  dwelling  place  (2  Chron.  vii.  14 ;  1  Kings 
viii.  30).  It  is  a  great  pleasure  to  think  that  God  has 
a  home  (Matt.  vi.  9). 

"(2.)  But  let  us  now  think  of  the  company  in  heaven. 
1.  The  Father  of  grace  and  glory  is  there.  We  say, 
'  Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven.''  A  great  many 
people  are  lost  by  that  prayer.  It  is  not  the  Lord's 
prayer,  but  the  disciples'  prayer.  The  Lord's  prayer 
is  the  17th  chapter  of  St.  John.  Satan  rocks  many  off 
in  a  cradle  to  sleep  on  that  so-called  Lord's  prayer. 
None  but  a  disciple  of  Christ  can  use  it,  and  say 
'  Our  Father.'  To  the  unsaved,  Christ  said,  '  Ye 
are  of  your  father  the  devil.'  You  pray  for  forgive- 
ness while  your  heart  is  full  of  enmity.  c  Thy  king- 
dom come.'  That  is  praying  for  your  own  damna- 
tion, if  unconverted. 

"  2.  Jesus  is  now  in  heaven.  In  Acts  vii.  55,  56, 
Stephen  saw  not  mansions,  but  Jesus.  Yes!  the 
4 


426      v  ITS  INHABITANTS. 

Master  is  there,  and  the  redeemed  are  there.  Stephen 
saw  Him  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  he  saw- 
Stephen  being  stoned  on  earth,  and  stood  up  to 
receive  him.  Oh  !  what  a  reception !  Jesus  is  there  ! 
'  That  same  Jesus '  who  died  for  us,  whose  Spirit 
quickened  us,  whose  love  saved  us  ;  and  we  shall  soon 
see  him  there  ;  if  not  before,  crowned  with  glory  and 
honor. 

"  Acts  iii.  20,  21.  It  is  as  much  the  Christian's  duty 
to  watch  for  the  second  coming  of  the  Son  of  God 
from  heaven  as  to  work  for  Christ.  It  is  perfectly 
safe  to  obey  God  and  watch  for  His  coming  again,  for 
it  may  be  at  any  moment.  The  marriage-supper  of 
the  Lamb  is  coming,  and  we  may  be  caught  up  for  it 
at  any  time. 

"  Matt,  xviii.  10.  3.  Angels  are  there.  The  pure  and 
spotless  creations  of  God,  who  have  known  nothing  of 
sin  and  sorrow  and  travail,  who  have  ever  lived  their 
life  of  bright  intelligence  and  holy  service  in  the  sun- 
shine of  God's  presence — these  are  in  heaven,  and 
we  shall  meet  them,  and  tell  them  of  something  they 
have  never  felt — the  love  of  Jesus  for  sinful  men. 

"  Rev.  vii.  9,  10.  4.  Saints  are  there,  the  best  of 
earth — all  the  pure  and  holy,  from  righteous  Abel 


NAMES  IX  THE  BOOK.  4-i^T 

downwards.  All  the  old  heroes  of  God,  the  warriors 
and  kings,  the  prophets  and  the  poets,  the  apostles 
and  the  early  martyrs,  all  will  be  there,  and  we  shall 
be  able  to  hold  sweet  communion  with  them  all ;  and 
our  own  loved  ones,  the  fathers  and  mothers,  sisters 
and  brothers,  the  babes,  and  the  young  and  the  old  ; 
they  will  be  amongst  the  shining  band  who  go  to 
swell  the  ranks  of  the  redeemed  before  the  throne  of 
God.  Oh,  what  a  company  is  there — Father,  Jesus,  the 
Holy  Ghost,  angels,  saints — all  who  have  fallen  asleep 
in  Jesus — all  waiting  for  us  to  come  ;  and  I  don't  mean 
to  lose  that  appointment;  and,  if  I  know  myself, 
would  rather  be  torn  limb  from  limb  than  do  so  (John 
xii.  26,  xiv.  3).  "We  have  work  to  do  to  get  ready  our- 
selves, and  get  friends  in.  What  would  have  been 
]S~oah's  feelings  if  one  of  his  sons  had  been  left  out  of 
the  ark  ! 

"  5.  Luke  x.  20.  That's  it !  our  names  are  in  heaven. 
My  name's  gone  on  before  me.  i  Eejoice,'  saith 
Jesus.  There's  a  terrible  day  coming.  It  is  going  to 
be  dark.  May  God  bring  that  little  Miss  up  there  to 
Jesus !  There  would  be  joy  all  over  heaven,  and  her 
name  in  half  a  second  would  be  written  in  the  Lamb's 
book  of  life,  and  never  to  be  blotted  out  again.     Just 


428  TREASURE  IN  HEA  VEN. 

as  a  man  sends  goods  before  him  and  he  follows  after, 
just  so  our  names  have  gone  on  before,  and  we  are 
journeying  after  them.  We  are  known  by  name  in 
heaven  before  we  get  there.  The  name  of  every 
saint  is  in  the  book  of  life,  and  cannot  be  blotted  out 
again.  A  mother  of  nine  children,  dying  in  Con- 
necticut, said  to  her  husband,  '  I  charge  you  to  bring 
all  those  children  home.' 

"  A  soldier  in  America  was  dying,  and  was  heard  to 
say  '  Here ! '  When  asked  what  it  was,  he  said, 
'Hush,  they  are  calling  the  roll  in  heaven,  and  I 
am  answering  to  it ; '  and  he  cried,  Here,  and  died. 

"  (3.)  What  do  we  have  in  heaven  f  Heaven  is  our 
treasure-house  (Matt.  vi.  20).  Many  Christians  trouble 
themselves  so  much  about  heaping  up  treasures  down 
here  to  leave  them  to  their  children,  which  is  often 
their  ruin.  Lot  may  have  Sodom,  but  look  at  the 
end  !  He  was  burnt  out.  Abraham  was  on  the  hill- 
top with  God.  If  your  treasure  is  in  heaven,  your 
heart  will  follow.  The  only  things  we  have,  or  can 
have,  as  saints,  will  be  found  there.  All  else  must  be 
left.  Death  strips  us  of  everything  not  laid  up  in 
heaven.  'Lay  up  treasure  in  heaven.'  It  will  be 
found  there  all  safe    when  we  want    it,   for  there 


REWARD  IX  IIEAYEX.  429 

neither  moth  nor  rust  doth  corrupt,  nor  do  thieves 
break  through  and  steals 

"  (4.)  How  we  may  get  a  title  to  heaven  (John  iii.  3). 
You  must  be  born  into  the  kingdom ;  there  is  no 
other  way  to  get  to  heaven,  than  to  be  born  an  heir 
to  it.  Have  you  that  birthright  ?  God  was  alone  in 
creation  and  in  redemption.  He  is  alone  in  regenera- 
tion. Have  you  got  a  home  beyond  the  grave  ?  Are 
you  born  of  the  Spirit  ?  that's  the  question  of  the  day! 
None  but  those  who  are  born  again  enter  there. 

"  2  Tim.  iv.  S.  Paul  was  striving  for  the  crown. 
He  got  salvation  here.  The  devil  found  his  match  when 
he  encountered  Paul.  Paul,  I  have  no  doubt,  thanks 
God  to-day  for  that  Philippian  jail.  The  Philippian 
jailer  was  saved  by  his  being  a  prisoner  there,  and 
was  the  first  man  converted  by  him  in  Europe.  John 
Bun  van  thanks  God  for  those  twelve  years  in  Bedford 
jail.  I  dare  say  the  devil  was  not  fifteen  minutes  in 
Eden  before  he  ruined  man,  and  he  would  conquer  me 
to-night  before  I  had  tea  were  it  not  that  my  life  is  hid 
with  Christ  in  God.  But  to  sufferers  for  Christ,  he 
3,  '  Great  is  your  reward  in  heaven?  There, 
every  man  will  receive  his  own  reward  for  his  own 
work.     There  will  be  no  mixing  up,  no  confusion, 


430  HEA  VEN  NEAR. 

but  to  each  man  will  be  given  a  full  reward,  accord- 
ing to  his  own  labor. 

"Heb.  iv.  9.  People  think  that  the  Church  is  a 
place  to  rest  in  ;  but  God  commands  work ;  and  when 
a  man's  work  is  done,  he  will  be  told  to  '  come  up 
higher.'  What  are  we  to  do  before  we  get  there?  Let 
us  ask  God. 

"  Heaven  is  nearer  to  us  than  people  think.  I  have 
read  of  a  man  in  this  country  who  got  discouraged, 
and  dreamed  that  he  went  up  to  heaven,  and  saw  the 
glories  there ;  and  Jesus  took  him  to  the  battlements, 
and  told  him  to  look  down,  and  asked  what  he  saw. 
He  saw  the  earth,  and  men  blindfolded,  and  a  fiend 
leading  them  to  a  deep  pit ;  and  Jesus  asked  him 
whether  he  would  stay  in  heaven,  and  share  its  joys, 
or  go  back  to  earth,  and  lead  men  to  see  their  danger 
and  rescue  them,  and  he  said  he  would  return,  and 
never  wish  to  go  to  heaven  until  God  called  him.  He 
awoke,  but  was  never  discouraged  again.  The  child 
of  infidel  parents,  a  girl  of  three  years  old,  who  had 
never  heard  the  name  of  God  but  in  her  father's 
oaths,  was  dying,  and  said,  "  Duley's  coming,  God," 
and  died. 

"  This  conference  is  a  foretaste  of  heaven  ;  there 


HIGHER,  HIGHER.  431 

have  been  no  denominations  here,  but  all  are  Chris- 
tians ;  so  will  we  be  in  heaven.  We  will  love  Jesus, 
too,  the  more  we  know  Him.  I  do  not  love  my  wife 
the  less  because  I  have  been  married  twelve  years. 
A  lady  tract-distributor  wished  to  take  a  lady 
friend  to  see  a  bed-ridden  saint.  God  has  many 
stones  in  His  temple,  some  for  use,  and  some  for 
ornament,  and  this  was  one  for  ornament,  polished 
by  years  of  suffering.  They  went  up  a  stair  for 
five  stories,  and  at  the  first  the  friend  said,  '  It  is 
very  dirty  here.'  '  It  will  be  better  higher  up,'  was 
the  reply.  At  the  next  story  the  friend  said  it  was 
'  very  dark  there.'  '  It  will  be  better,  higher  up.' 
And  at  the  top,  they  came  into  a  pretty,  clean  sick- 
room, with  light  and  flowers.  A  child  was  dying,  and 
it  said  to  his  father,  '  Lift  me  up,'  and  the  father 
did  so;  'Higher,  higher,'  said  the  child,  and  again, 
'  Higher,  higher,'  till  it  was  held  at  the  stretch  of  its 
father's  arms,  and  its  Heavenly  Father  reached  down 
and  took  it.  Let  our  prayer  be,  '  Higher,  higher, 
higher ! '  •  Nearer  my  God  to  Thee,  nearer  to 
Thee  ! '  I  will  look  back  on  this  as  one  of  the  hap- 
piest days  of  my  life,  when  we  talked  about  Christ. 
Napoleon  struck  a  medal  after  a  great  battle,  on  one 


432  THREE  BITTER  ENEMIES. 

side  of  which  was  the  date  of  the  battle,  and  on  the 
other  *  I  was  There  ; '  and  we,  looking  back  on 
this  meeting  here  to-day,  will  gladly  say  in  heaven 
itself,  '  I  was  There.' 

"  God  bless  you  all.   We  will  never  all  meet  again  on 
earth,  but  very  soon  we  will  meet  in  Heaven." 


The  Christian  Conflict.* 

You  must  all  remember  that  you  have  three  ter- 
rible enemies  to  face.  The  first  is  the  flesh,  the 
second  the  world,  and  the  third  the  devil.  When 
the  children  of  Israel  got  through  the  Red  Sea,  they 
began  to  sing  their  song  of  deliverance,  and  praise 
God,  as  if  the  whole  of  their  trials  were  over,  never 
thinking  of  the  journey  through  the  wilderness,  with 
all  its  perils,  temptations,  and  privations,  which  was 
before  them.  You  who  have  been  converted  must 
not  imagine  that  your  troubles  have  ceased  with  your 
conversion  and  Red  Sea  deliverance.  We  have  all 
got  a  wilderness  journey  and  a  warfare  before  us,  and 

*  Being  the  farewell  address  to  young  converts  in  Edinburgh, 
16th  January,  1874.     Eleven  hundred  and  fifty  were  present. 


THE  FLESH.  433 


we  must  not  forget  them,  but  brace  ourselves  up  for 
them. 

If  you  turn  to  Galatians  fifth,  and  read  from  the 
sixteenth  to  the  twenty-second  verse,  you  will  learn 
something  of  your  first  enemy,  the  flesh.  The  warfare 
goes  on  continually  between  flesh  and  spirit.  God 
did  not  change  the  flesh  at  your  conversion.  It  re- 
mains still  unchanged  and  unchangeable.  That  which 
is  born  of  the  flesh  remains  flesh  until  it  is  dropped 
in  the  grave,  or  at  Christ's  coming;  and  in  the  mean- 
time you  must  pray  against  the  evil  passions  men- 
tioned in  these  verses,  and  keep  the  old  man  in  the 
place  of  death.  You  must  take  care  not  to  feed  "  the 
old  man  which  is  corrupt"  by  the  follies  and  pursuits 
of  the  unconverted  world.  Eead  novels,  attend  the 
theater,  go  to  the  dance,  if  you  want  to  feed  "the  old 

You  cannot  serve  both  God  and  mammon,  and 
the  only  way  you  can  serve  God  is  by  opposing 
the  flesh,  and  by  the  Spirit  mortifying  the  deeds  of 
the  body.  "  In  me — that  is,  in  my  flesh — dwelleth 
no  good  thing,-'  says  Paul,  and  this  we  must  alv. 
keep  in  remembrance.  Christ  is  in  us;  but  there  is 
no  good  thing  in  the  flesh.  If  we  learn  that  fact  in 
19 


434:  LET  ALONE. 


the  morning  of  our  Christian  life,  it  will  be  a  happy- 
day  for  ns.  For  a  time  after  I  was  converted  I 
thought  all  the  conflict  was  over ;  but  I  found  it  was 
not  so,  and  so  will  you. 

When  God  converted  us  He  gave  us  a  new  nature 
— life  in  Christ — and  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the 
Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against  the  flesh,  and  these  are 
contrary  the  one  to  the  other. 

The  flesh  will  always  continue  to  lust  against  the 
Spirit,  and  you  must  maintain  the  conflict  resolutely. 
Ungodly  men  say  they  have  not  that  conflict ;  but  the 
reason  is,  they  have  never  known  the  life  of  God. 

There  is  a  story  told  of  a  gentleman  in  our  country 
who  had  a  servant — a  negro — we  call  such  Sambo — 
and  he  was  a  converted  man,  and  his  master  used  to 
banter  him  about  his  religion,  and  to  say,  "  Sambo, 
you  are  always  talking  of  the  conflict ;  I  don't  have 
any  of  your  groaning  and  the  conflict  you  talk  of." 
One  day  they  were  out  hunting.  His  master  blazed 
away  at  some  ducks,  and  did  not  mind  the  dead  ones, 
but  sent  Sambo  after  the  wounded  ones.  "Massa," 
said  he,  when  he  next  spoke  to  him  of  his  warfare, 
"as  you  did  not  care  for  the  dead  ducks — you  knew 
you  had  them ;  so  Satan  leaves  you  all  quiet.     You 


P  UT  SELF  A  WA  T.  435 


are  dead,  and  lie  lets  you  alone ;  but  he  is  after  me, 
because  I  am  wounded,  but  alive." 

I  have  found,  however,  that  those  who  try  to  serve 
both  God  and  the  world  have  most  trouble,  and  that 
those  who  come  out  boldly  for  Christ,  and  turn  their 
backs  completely  on  the  world,  and  are  out  and  out 
for  God,  have  little  or  no  trouble. 

.Remember  what  is  said  in  Philippians  iii.  3 — 
" Have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh"  Have  all  the 
confidence  you  can  in  Christ,  but  have  none  in  your- 
selves. The  moment  you  put  confidence  in  "the 
flesh"  it  will  bring  you  into  captivity  and  darkness. 
Peter  had  confidence  in  himself,  and  it  led  to  his 
denying  his  Master.  If  you  are  going  to  work  and 
speak  for  the  Lord  Jesus,  take  care  of  one  thing — do 
not  speak  about  yourselves.  I  am  disgusted  some- 
times when  I  hear  men  get  up  at  these  meetings  and 
talk  about  themselves,  or  if  they  don't  get  an  oppor- 
tunity of  doing  it  in  a  speech,  they  take  the  chance 
which  a  prayer  offers,  and  tell  the  audience  their 
whole  history,  when  they  are  ostensibly  addressing 
God.  Shun  that  above  all  things.  When  you  say  or 
do  anything,  speak  or  do  it  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  keep  self   entirely  in  the   background. 


436  THE  WORLD. 


Then  will  God  bless  your  efforts.  When  "  the  flesh  " 
comes  and  wants  you  to  submit  to  it,  don't  listen ;  but 
say,  "  You're  not  my  master  ;  I  serve  the  Lord 
Christ."  "  Not  I,  but  Christ ;  "  "  Not  in  the  flesh, 
but  in  the  Spirit,"  is  our  happy  state.  But  you  need 
to  watch  "  the  flesh  "  as  an  enemy ;  for  depend  upon 
it  "  the  flesh  "  is  not  dead,  and  will  never  be  so,  until 
we  are  in  our  coffin,  or  "  changed  in  a  moment."  I 
would  say  to  young  men :  Never  get  into  argument 
with  skeptics  or  reasoners  on  doctrine — it  will  get  you 
into  the  flesh,  and  you  will  never  convince  them. 
When  Job  argued,  he  went  down  !  The  sore  boils — 
his  losses — his  wife — and  all  his  trials  he  could  stand ; 
but  when  he  got  into  argument  with  his  friends,  "  the 
flesh"  came  out  in  all  its  offensiveness.  Do  not 
exhort  much  in  the  meetings,  but  point  out  what  the 
grace  of  God  has  done  for  you  or  others,  simply  and 
humbly.  Talk  about  the  Master,  and  not  about  the 
servant,  and  people  will  be  always  glad  to  hear  you. 
Let  your  theme  be  "  Jesus  onlyP 

2.  The  World. — John  xvii.  15,  lj3 :  "  I  pray  not 
that  Thou  shouldst  take  them  out  of  the  world,  but 
that  Thou  shouldst  keep  them  from  the  evil."  Re- 
member that  you  are  out  of  the  old  creation  and  into 


WORLD  UNCHANGED.  437 

the  new  creation.  Daniel  was  kept  witnessing  for 
God  in  Babylon.  Yon  must  learn  to  be  like  a  rock 
in  the  stream,  past  which  the  current  flows  rapidly, 
but  it  is  unmoved.  You  are  still  in  the  world,  but 
you  are  not  of  the  world.  You  are  citizens  of  another 
world,  and  only  strangers  and  pilgrims  here.  We 
belong  to  America ;  we  are  only  temporary  sojourners 
with  you.  "While  here  I  am  an  American  ;  so  while 
in  the  world  I  belong  to  heaven — not  to  America;  I 
live  there,  that's  my  home.  We  have  got  our  natural- 
ization papers  out  for  heaven,  and  we  belong  to  it 
alone.  What  would  we  do  mixing  with  the  joys  of 
this  world  ?  We  have  something  better;  and  as  the 
world  is  after  the  best  thing,  if  they  see  you  happy, 
they  will  want  it.  What  retards  Christianity  so 
much  is  the  Church  getting  mixed  up  with  the 
world.  People  may  think  that  if  they  go  into  the 
world  a  little — attend  the  theater,  opera,  balls — they 
can  get  the  world  drawn  into  religious  meetings; 
but  it  is  a  delusion.  Though  we  throw  a  piece 
of  fresh  beef  into  the  sea,  we  don't  make  it  fresh;  so, 
though  we  go  into  the  world  ever  so  little,  we  don't 
change  it  for  the  better,  but  it  will  change  us  for  the 
worse.     We  must  come  right  out,  and  be  separate. 


438  WHAT  IS  GIVEN  UP. 

Those  who  are  separate  draw  many  with  them  to 
heaven ;  while  one  worldly  Christian  deludes  and 
drags  many  down  to  hell. 

It  was  the  mixed  multitude  that  came  with  Israel 
out  of  Egypt  that  made  them  lust  after  the  things  of 
Egypt,  and  loathe  the  manna  which  is  called  angels' 
food.  If  you  mix  with  the  world,  it  will  give  you  a 
distaste  for  divine  things,  and  you  will  be  both  use- 
less and  unhappy. 

Worldly  Christians  are  very  unhappy.  If  you  do 
not  leave  the  world  entirely,  with  its  novels,  theaters, 
and  operas,  it  will  never  leave  you,  and  you  will  be 
poor,  miserable  Christians.  But  if  you  leave  the 
world  entirely,  you  will  have  ten  thousand  times 
more  enjoyment  than  you  could  have  ever  had  in  the 
world's  pleasures.  For  eighteen  years  1  have  had 
something  better.  I  enjoy  every  year  more  than  the 
preceding,  so  true  is  it  that  if  you  give  up  anything 
for  Christ,  He  makes  it  up  to  you  many  times.  His 
love  smile,  His  gracious  approval,  is  more  than  all  the 
world.  But  are  •  children  not  to  play  at  all  on  be- 
coming Christians  ?  These  boys  must  not  think  that 
I  am  saying  they  may  not  go  and  play  their  cricket 
and  their  games  of  ball,  but  I  say  that  when  they  are 


THE  PRINCE  OF  THIS  WORLD.  439 

at  play,  at  these  healthy  exercises,  they  must  always 
keep  in  mind  that  they  are  Christians,  and  they  must 
not  stand  to  hear  the  name  of  the  Master  whom  they 
serve  profaned  by  their  companions,  but  leave  them 
entirely  if  they  do  not  desist. 

3.  The  Devil. — Now  look  at  2  Corinthians  xi.  14: 
"And  no  marvel,  for  Satan  himself  is  transformed 
into  an  angel  of  light."  It  would  be  well  to  take  a 
Concordance  and  look  up  all  the  names  of  the  devil. 
You  would  find  him  called  the  great  red  dragon,  and 
you  would  be  frightened  for  him  as  such,  but  not  as 
an  angel  of  light.  And  mark  you,  Satan  does  not,  as 
many  think,  come  in  a  hideous  form,  in  which  he  will 
be  known,  but  sometimes  even  as  an  angel  of  light. 
You  want  to  be  on  your  guard  against  him,  for  in 
him  we  have  a  terrible  enemy,  and  all  the  more  dan- 
gerous that  he  can  transform  himself  into  an  angel  of 
light. 

The  devil  never  got  away  any  one  who  has  been 
converted;  but  he  may  make  them  lose  their  hap- 
piness and  spoil  their  testimony  in  the  world.  Sam- 
son was  strong;  but  Satan  got  hold  of  him,  and  ruined 
hie  testimony  to  the  world.  You  will  find  he  is 
called  "the  prince  of  this  world"  in  John  xiv.  30. 


440  EVIL  THOUGHTS. 

Christ  is  not  the  King  of  this  world  just  now;  they 
cast  Him  out,  and  slew  Him.  And  that  is  a  very 
good  reason  why  we  should  break  off  from  this  world, 
and  have  only  to  do  with  that  one  where  Christ  is  on 
the  throne.  Bear  in  mind  your  three  enemies — the 
flesh,  the  world,  and  the  devil — who  would  fain  bring 
us  down  to  hell,  and,  if  they  cannot  do  that,  keep  us 
in  disquiet  and  dispeace.  But  we  have  three  friends 
for  us  who  are  greater  than  the  enemies  against  us — 
God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  all  the  hosts  of  heaven.  They  are  able  to 
keep  us,  and  beat  back  the  doubts  and  fears  and  evil 
thoughts  suggested  by  our  enemies.  When  Elisha's 
servant's  eyes  were  opened,  he  saw  the  mountains  full 
of  horses  and  chariots  about  them — all  the  hosts  of 
heaven  on  their  side.  There  are  more  for  us  than  all 
who  can  be  against  us.  Some  young  converts  are 
much  distressed  about  evil  thoughts.  Now,  the  sin 
lies  not  in  them  coming  into  your  mind,  but  in  your 
harboring  them.  As  one  has  said,  "We  cannot  help 
the  birds  from  flying  over  our  heads,  but  we  can  pre- 
vent them  building  their  nests  in  our  hair."  Ask 
God's  help  to  beat  those  evil  thoughts  off.  In  our- 
selves we  have  no  power  against  those  terrible  ene- 


CLOSE  TO  THE  ROCK.  411 

uiies;  but  we  have,  got  Christ,  the  Lion  of  the  tribe 
of  Judah,  in  whom  is  our  strength,  and  through  Him 
we  may  have  constant  victory. 

Turn  to  Exodus  xvii.  6  :  "  Behold,  I  will  stand 
before  thee  there  upon  the  rock  in  Horeb ;  and  thou 
shalt  smite  the  rock,  and  there  shall  come  water  out 
of  it,  that  the  people  may  drink.  And  Moses  did  so 
in  the  sight  of  the  elders  of  Israel."  Here  we  have 
the  Trinity.  The  rock  is  Christ ;  the  water  the  Holy 
Ghost:  and  "I"  is  God  the  Father.  The  water  is 
everything.  There  is  refreshment,  and  it  follows  us ; 
for  1  Cor.  x.  1  reads,  "  They  drank  of  that  spiritual 
Hock  that  went  with  them ;  and  that  Rock  was 
Christ."  There  is  a  tunnel  over  the  Eocky  Moun- 
tains, and  the  bore  is  so  contracted  that  there  is  no 
room  for  a  man  to  escape  if  two  trains  were  coming 
alongside  of  each  other ;  but  they  have  cut  niches  in 
the  solid  rock,  into  which  a  person  may  go  and  be 
safe.  Two  children  were  thus  caught  one  day — a 
sister  and  her  little  brother;  and  after  she  got  her 
brother  into  one  of  these  niches,  she  went  to  the  one 
on  the  opposite  side,  and  just  as  the  trains  were  about 
to  whisk  past  them  she  cried  to  her  little  brother, 
"Cling  close  to  the  rock."     The  trains  passed,  and 


442  FOUR  PRECIOUS  THINGS. 

they  were  safe  in  the  clefts  of  the  rock.  This  is  all 
you  want,  dear  young  Christians;  cling  close  to  the 
Rock  of  your  salvation — Jesus  your  Saviour.  That 
Rock  which  is  a  place  both  for  spiritual  rest  and  re- 
freshment, "that  Rock  which  folio weth  you,  that 
Rock  which  is  Christ"  (1  Cor.  x.  4).  Get  good  foot- 
ing on  that  Rock :  as  the  Irishman  said,  you  may 
tremble  on  the  Rock,  but  the  Rock  will  never  trem- 
ble, however  much  the  waves  may  beat  against  it. 

And  never  forget  where  God  found  you.  The 
Lord's  portion  is  His  people ;  Jacob  is  the  lot  of  His 
inheritance.  He  found  him  in  a  desert  land,  and  in 
the  waste,  howling  wilderness.  He  led  him  about, 
He  instructed  him,  He  kept  him  as  the  apple  of  His 
eye.  There  are  four  precious  things  here  —  God 
found  you  J  He  leads  you  about,  instructs  you,  and 
keeps  you  as  the  apple  of  His  eye. 

A  story  of  thrilling  interest  was  lately  recorded  in 
an  American  weekly  illustrated  paper. 

The  Spanish  authorities  in  Cuba  had  arrested  a 
man  who,  though  born  in  England,  was  a  naturalized 
United  States  citizen.  He  was  charged  with  con- 
spiracy against  the  Government,  and  ordered  to  be 
shot.'    But  the  consuls  of  both  England  and  America 


SAFETY  BY  THE  BLOOD.  443 

believed  the  man  to  be  innocent,  and  used  all  the 
persuasion  and  entreaty  in  their  power  for  his  release, 
but  the  proud  Spaniards  haughtily  disregarded  their 
petition. 

The  hour  of  execution  had  now  arrived,  and  a  com- 
pany of  soldiers  were  drawn  up  in  line.  The  con- 
demned English-American  marched  out  before  them, 
calmly  awaiting  his  fate.  He  stood  at  the  foot  of  the 
grave,  already  dug,  his  coat  off,  and  his  hands  pin- 
ioned behind  him.  The  officer  ordered  his  men  to 
load,  and  at  the  word  "present,"  they  brought  their 
rifles  to  their  shoulders,  awaiting  the  word  of  com- 
mand to  fire. 

.  In  the  awful  suspense,  suddenly  there  sprang  for- 
ward from  the  bystanders  the  two  consuls ;  the  one 
drawing  from  his  breast  the  Stars  and  Stripes,  wrapped 
it  right  round  the  prisoner,  whilst  the  other  threw 
over  him  the  Union  Jack.  The  consuls  now  stood 
on  either  side,  defying  the  Spaniards,  who  dared  not 
fire  on  the  flags  of  two  of  the  mightiest  nations  under 
heaven,  and  the  man  was  released,  and  proved  his  in- 
nocence to  the  satisfaction  of  the  authorities. 

Well  may  the  Christian  exclaim,  "Oh,  the  security 
and  the  blessedness  of  being  enveloped  in  the  bl 


444  A  STRAIGHT  PATH. 

stained  banner  of  the  Cross ! "  or,  in  the  triumphant 
words  of  Paul  in  Romans  viii. :  "Who  shall  lay  any- 
thing to  the  charge  of  God's  elect?"  His  banner  over 
us  is  love !  He  that  toucheth  a  child  of  God  touches 
the  apple  of  His  eye.  Always  keep  in  mind  that  it 
takes  the  same  power  to  keep  you  that  it  took  to  con- 
vert you. 

"  Let  us  run  with  patience  the  race  that  is  set  be- 
fore us,  looking  unto  Jesus,  the  author  and  the  fin- 
isher of  our  faith."  When  I  wras  a  boy,  I  used  to  try 
to  describe  a  straight  path  through  the  snow  in  a  field 
by  looking  down  at  my  feet,  but  it  turned  out  to  be 
a  zigzag,  because  I  was  looking  down  at  my  feet. 
The  way  to  make  a  straight  path  would  be  to  look  at 
an  object  beyond ;  and  so  in  this  passage  we  are 
directed  to  have  our  eye  on  the  mark  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  Majesty  in  the  heavens,  and  be  "  looking 
unto  JesusP 

In  Col.  ii.  6,  there  are  seven  things  enjoined. 
The  first  thing  we  have  to  do  is  to  receive  Christ, 
then  to  vxtllc  in  Him,  be  rooted  in  Him,  and  be  built 
up  in  Him.  We  will  then  be  complete  in  Him,  and  be 
buried  with  Him  in  baptism,  and  be  raised  with  Him. 

In    our   country    there  are  sometimes  seen   great 


HE  IS  ABLE.  445 


trees  blown  over  and  torn,  up  by  the  roots,  and  the 
occasion  of  it  was  the  shallow  soil.  So  it  is  with 
many  professors — they  for  a  while  believe,  but  in 
time  of  temptation  they  fall  away,  because  they  had 
not  been  rooted  in  Christ.  Be  rooted  in  Christ,  and 
built  up  in  Him  as  ye  have  been  taught.  This  points 
to  the  inward  and  outward  growth  of  the  Christian. 
The  only  way  to  keep  from  falling  is  to  grow. 

Turn  to  1  John  iv.  9,  10,  and  you  will  see  that 
Christ  was  manifested  to  give  us  life,  put  away  our 
sins ;  and  herein  is  love,  that  we  then  got  peace,  and 
God  dwells  in  us ;  and  this  is  power,  and  we  will 
have  boldness  in  the  day  of  judgment,  because  as  He 
is,  so  are  we  in  this  world. 

You  will  find  in  Heb.  ii.  18,  that  Christ  is  able  to 
succor  them  that  are  tempted;  and  in  Rom.  xiv.  4, 
that  He  is  "  able  to  make  us  stand."  Daniel,  Mioses, 
Elijah,  were  made  able  to  stand.  Remember  that 
word  "able."  Keb.  vii.  25,  "Wherefore  He  is  able 
also  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that  come  unto 
God  by  Him,  seeing  He  ever  liveth  to  make  inter- 
cession for  them."  "  He  is  alle  to  make  all  grace 
abound  toward  you"  (2  Cor.  ix.  8)  and  able  to  help 
you  to  work  for  Him  ;  and  "He  is  able  to  keep  that 


446  nsr  THE  FURNACE. 

which  we  have  committed  to  Him  against  that  day" 
(2  Tim.  i.  12).  What  gives  us  confidence  in  the  Bank 
of  England  ?  Because  it  is  able  to  pay  every  demand 
made  upon  it.  What  gives  us  confidence  in  a  certain 
line  of  steamers  ?  Because  they  have  never  lost  a 
single  passenger;  they  have  a  reputation  for  safety, 
and  we  commit  ourselves  to  them  with  all  confidence ; 
and  our  life  is  surely  safe  when  "  our  life  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God." 

Be  strong  in  faith,  for  what  God  has  promised 
He  is  able  to  perform  (Rom.  iv.  20).  We  may  have 
the  most  perfect  confidence  in  the  God  who  has 
promised.  The  three  men  in  Babylon  who  were 
threatened  with  the  fiery  furnace  would  not  bow 
down  to  the  idol,  but  said,  with  all  confident  bold- 
ness, "  Our  God,  whom  we  serve,  is  able  to  deliver  us 
from  the  burning  fiery  furnace ;  and  He  will  deliver 
us  out  of  thine  hand,  O  king.  But  if  not,  be  it  known 
unto  thee,  O  king,  that  we  will  not  serve  thy  gods, 
nor  worship  the  golden  image  thou  hast  set  up" 
(Dan.  iii.  17,  18).  They  were  cast  into  the  furnace  ; 
but  one  like  the  Son  of  God  walked  with  them,  and 
they  came  forth  unhurt  "  from  the  midst  of  the  fire." 
And  so  will  we  come  forth  from  every  trial,  for  our 


FAREWELL  TO  CHRIST.  447 

God  is  able  to  deliver  us.  He  numbers  the  hairs  of 
our  head  ;  no  one  cares  for  us  so.  When  Joseph  was 
ill-treated  and  sold  into  Egypt,  it  is  said,  "  God  was 
with  him ; "  and  He  delivered  him  marvelously. 
Trust  in  God,  like  Paul,  who  says,  "  Who  delivered 
us  from  so  great  a  death,  and  doth  deliver ;  in  whom 
we  trust  that  He  will  yet  deliver  us  "  (2  Cor.  i.  10). 

Bear  in  mind  that  God  never  leaves  you,  and 
that  if  you  ever  get  away  from  Him  it  is  because  you 
have  left  Him.  And  if  ever  you  do  leave  Jesus  to 
go  back  to  the  world,  do  with  Him  as  you  would 
when  going  to  leave  any  earthly  friend.  Go  into 
your  closet  and  say,  "  Lord  Jesus,  I  am  about  to  leave 
Thee,  and  go  back  to  the  world.  I  thank  Thee  for 
all  Thy  kindness,  and  for  the  joy  I  have  had  since  I 
knew  Thee ;  and  now,  as  I  do  not  mean  to  come  to 
Thee  any  more,  I  have  come  to  say  farewell."  The 
bare  idea  of  such  a  thing  is  intolerable. 

'*'  He  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all 
that  we  ask  or  think  "  (Eph.  iii.  20) ;  and  "  He  is  able 
to  keep  you  from  falling,  and  to  present  you  faultless 
before  the  presence  of  His  glory  with  exceeding  joy," 
(Jude  24).     He  is  able  to  keep  these  young  converts. 

The  next  time   you  and  I  all  meet,  we   will  he 


448 


A  HERALD  OF  THE  CROSS. 


before  Hini,  and  that  will  be  a  glorious  day,  "pre- 
sented faultless  before  the  presence  of  His  glory." 
May  God  grant  that  that  may  be  your  end  and  mine ! 
"We  need  not  fall  if  we  put  our  trust  in  Him  who  is 
able  to  keep  us  from  falling.  I  remember  Mr.  Sankey 
reading  out  of  the  papers  the  obituary  of  one  who 
had  been  holding  up  Christ,  and  it  ran  thus :  "  He 
was  a  true  herald  of  the  cross  /  he  died  with  the 
shout  of  victory  on  his  lips  and  the  trump  of  God  in 
his  hands."  Let  it  be  so  written  of  us  when  we  go 
hence.  Live  in  loving  fellowship  with  Jesus,  treating 
Him  as  a  personal  friend,  and  He  will  never  leave 
you  nor  forsake  you. 

As  long  as  we  live  we  never  shall  forget  these 
blessed  happy  days  we  have  spent  with  you  in  Edin- 
burgh, and  I  hope  we  shall  meet  you  all  at  the  Lamb's 
right  hand  in  the  day  when  He  makes  up  His  jewels ; 
and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord.     Amen. 

Peayee.* 

I  suppose  there  has  been  no  word  on  Christians' 
lips  so  frequently  at  this  time  as  the  word  "  Peatee," 
and  there  is  not  one  in  this  hall  who  has  not  thought 

*  Delivered  at  the  noon  prayer-meeting,  Edinb.,  Jan.  6,  1874. 


PRAYER  HEARD.  4i9 

often,  during  the  last  forty-eight  hours,  of  the  impor- 
tance of  prayer. 

During  this  week  of  prayer,  they  are  a  great  many 
not  only  thinking  about  it,  but  talking  about  it. 
"When  there  is  a  special  interest  and  awakening  in  the 
community  on  the  subject  of  religion,  then  it  is  that 
a  great  many  skeptics  and  infidels,  and  a  great  many 
mere  nominal  professors  of  Christianity — we  will  not 
judge  them — begin  talking  against  "prayer." 

They  say,  "  The  author  of  the  world  doesn't  change 
His  plans  because  of  these  prayers.  The  world  goes 
right  on.  You  cannot  move  God  to  change  His  mind 
or  His  doings."  You  hear  this  on  every  side.  These 
young  converts  hear  it.  I  have  no  doubt  that  many 
are  staggered  by  it,  and  when  you  kneel  down  you 
say,  "  Is  it  a  fact  that  God  answers  prayer  ?  Is  there 
anything  in  it  \  " 

I  think  it  would  do  us  good  in  the  week  of  prayer 
to  take  the  word  "prayer,"  and  run  through  the 
Bible  tracing  it  out.  Read  about  nothing  else.  I 
think  you  would  be  perfectly  amazed  if  you  took  up 
the  word  "prayer,"  and  counted  the  cases  in  the  Bible 
where  people  are  recorded  as  praying,  and  God 
answering  their  prayers. 


452  HEZEKIAE'S  CRY. 

derstanding,  shall  keep  your  hearts  and  minds  through 
Jesus  Christ." 

He  tells  us  to  make  our  wants  known  ;  to  make  our 
requests  known  to  Him  by  prayer  and  supplication. 
It  is  right  to  come  and  make  our  requests  known. 
He  has  told  us  to  come  and  pray  for  the  cod  version 
of  souls. 

It  is  said  by  many  people  that  God  does  not  do 
anything  supernatural  in  answer  to  prayer ;  that  the 
God  of  nature  moves  right  on  and  never  changes  His 
decrees.  Read  the  first  six  verses  of  the  20th  chapter 
of  2d  Kings,  and  see — "  In  those  days  was  Hezekiah 
sick  unto  death :  and  the  prophet  Isaiah,  the  son  of 
Amoz,  came  to  him,  and  said  unto  him,  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  Set  thine  house  in  order ;  for  thou  shalt  die,  and 
not  live.  Then  he  turned  his  face  to  the  wall,  and 
prayed  unto  the  Lord,  saying,  I  beseech  Thee,  O  Lord, 
remember  now  how  I  have  walked  before  Thee  in 
truth,  and  with  a  perfect  heart,  and  have  done  that 
which  is  good  in  Thy  sight.  And  Hezekiah  wept  sore. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  afore  Isaiah  was  gone  out  into  the 
middle  court,  that  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  him, 
saying,  Turn  again,  and  tell  Hezekiah,  the  captain  of 
my  people,  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  God  of  David,  thy 


FOR  CHRIST'S  SAKE.  553 

father,  I  have  heard  thy  prayer,  I  have  seen  thy  tears, 
behold  I  will  heal  thee;  on  the  third  day  thou  shalt 
go  up  unto  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  I  will  add 
unto  thy  days  fifteen  years  ;  and  I  will  deliver  thee 
and  this  city  out  of  the  hand  of  the  King  of  Assyria ; 
and  I  will  defend  this  city  for  mine  own  sake,  and 
for  my  servant  David's  sake."  Was  not  that  a  direct 
answer  to  prayer  ?  Hezekiah  was  only  praying  for  his 
own  life  ;  we  are  come  together  to  pray  for  the  life  of 
others,  and  not  their  temporal  but  their  eternal  welfare. 
He  was  not  praying  for  Christ's  sake  as  we  now  do, 
but  we  can  come  to-day  and  ask  God  to  save  the  souls 
of  men  for  Christ's  sake,  not  only  for  our  sake,  but 
for  the  sake  of  the  beloved  Son.  He  loves  to  honor 
that  Son,  and  to  see  Christ  honored.  "We  can  come 
now  and  ask  Him  to  save  souls,  that  it  might  bring 
glory  and  honor  to  the  Son  of  His  bosom,  and  glory 
and  honor  to  the  Son  He  delights  to  honor.  "  I  will," 
He  says  to  Hezekiah,  "  defend  the  city  for  mine  own 
sake,  and  for  my  servant  David's  sake."  That  is  only 
one  instance. 

Look  also  at  Daniel  praying.  It  was  his  prayers 
that  took  the  Jews  back  to  Jerusalem.  It  was  his 
prayers  that  turned  Xebuchadnezzar  to  the  God  of 


454  JEHOSHAPHAT. 

Israel,  and  brought  Gabriel  down  from  heaven  to  tell 
him  he  was  greatly  beloved.  He  had  power  with 
God. 

See  also  how  God  answered  Jacob's  prayers  and 
Isaac's  prayers.  All  through  the  Bible  we  have 
records  of  the  answers  to  prayers.  It  would  be  ter- 
rible to  think  that  God  did  not  delight  to  answer 
prayer. 

Turn  to  the  20th  chapter  of  2d  Chronicles.  There 
we  read  that  the  Moabites,  the  Ammonites,  and 
others  coming  against  Jehoshaphat,  he  was  afraid, 
"  and  set  himself  to  seek  the  Lord,"  and  that  after- 
wards Judah  "  gathered  themselves  together  to  ask 
help  of  the  Lord."  That  is  what  we  want — to  seek 
the  Lord  not  only  here  in  the  public  assembly, 
but  alone.  If  you  have  got  an  unconverted 
friend,  and  are  anxious  that  he  should  be  saved,  go 
and  tell  it  privately  to  Jesus,  and  if  a  blessing  does 
not  come,  like  Jehoshaphat,  spend  a  few  days  in  fast- 
ing, and  prayer,  and  humiliation.  "If  when  evil 
cometh  upon  us,  as  the  sword,  judgment,  pestilence,  or 
famine,  we  stand  before  this  bouse,  and  in  Thy  pres- 
ence (for  Thy  name  is  in  this  house),  and  cry  unto 
Thee  in  our  affliction,  then  Thou  wilt  hear  and  help." 


GOD  SA  VE  SCOTLAND.  455 

When  I  go  into  the  streets,  and  see  the  terrible 
wickedness,  and  blasphemy,  and  drunkenness  that  is 
in  them,  it  seems  dark,  but  I  look  up  and  think  that 
God  can  repel  those  dark  waves  of  sin  and  iniquity. 
Let  us  pray  that  God  will  bless  this  land  of  Scotland, 
bless  and  save  all  the  people  in  it.  It  would  be  a 
great  thing  for  us,  but  very  little  for  God.  May  God 
give  us  faith ! 


PRINTED   BY  LANGE,  LITTLE  &   CO.,  NEW    YORK. 


BOO«    JT«"t 

\  1 i 


